Original Oil & Watercolor Paintings
There is a beautiful stretch of the Appalachian Trail that rolls along just east of the Shenandoah National Forest just outside of Front Royal, Virginia. My daughter sent me a photo of a fall hike that she and her husband enjoyed, and I was inspired to paint it. The beautiful, blue sky peeking through the golden leaves and the trees stretching upward create such a lovely, and peaceful scene. I enjoyed creating this piece very much.
On a camping trip late in 2021, we were delighted with the beauty of the forest at the top of Clingman’s Dome in the Smoky Mountain National Park. The temperature had dropped overnight, and the trees were coated with frost in the morning. It was so beautiful!
Our trip to Acadia National Park in Maine last summer was tremendously inspiring. Such beautiful scenery along the coastline! I completed this large oil painting of the Bass Harbor Lighthouse, and am really pleased with the result. This lighthouse is located on Bass Island and is a historic lighthouse right on the edge of the rugged, rocky Maine coast. The parking lot at this site is quite small, so tourists need to arrive early to have a space to be able to take in the views here. And it’s worth it!
This past July, I had the chance to travel to Maine. The Bass Harbor Head Light Station is located in Tremont, Maine, marking the entrance to Bass Harbor and Blue Hill Bay on the southwest corner of Mount Desert Island. Among about 80 lighthouses across Maine, it is one of three lights managed by Acadia National Park. I believe this lighthouse is one of the most photographed lighthouses on the east coast.
This piece is a 32 x 40″ oil on gallery wrap canvas that I am currently working on.
Last month I completed some new 5 x 7″ oil on canvas gallery wraps. This first piece I’ve titled “Barn’s End” is an old, historic barn located on Diggs Valley Road in northern Virginia.
This second piece, “Split Rail” is a restored cabin located on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
We are not lucky enough to get snow regularly where we live in NC, so when we do, I so enjoy hiking around in the winter weather. I am inspired by the snowy landscapes that grace the First Broad River near my home. This recently completed oil on canvas makes me feel peaceful and cozy, remembering lovely winter weather.
It’s been a busy summer! We’ve been on some road trips, including an adventure up the east coast to Maine. I am planning my next piece from a photo my husband Bob took of a lighthouse we visited there.
Additionally, I’ve been preparing for the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival in Reston, VA September 10-12, 2021.
Meanwhile, I’ve completed these two gallery wraps, which are now available for sale:
I’ve been enjoying creating some pieces in a smaller format recently. These 5 x 7″ gallery wraps have a 1.5″ edge, which makes them the equivalent of an 8 x 10″ painting.
This fall, I have enjoyed drives on country roads in the western NC mountains with my husband. We saw this beautiful barn on one of these drives.
This oil on canvas was inspired by a view from the scenic highway between Robbinsville, NC and Tellico Plains, TN.
