Barn Stories II

Parkway Series #358   12 x 16   oil    SOLD

The story of barns, the people who built them, the long ago days of hard work and farming, the memories stored in the barn,  pervade the Appalachian landscape along the Parkway.  This barn sits below the railroad tracks near the N&W overlook around milepost 107 and the image was captured with a zoom lens late in the afternoon light. The purple and green mist on the background mountain captures the feel of an August day and I can still hearing the cicadas shrill echoing against it. 

Summer Colors

Parkway Series #357    12 x 16   oil    SOLD

The cool blue mountain and the warm orange hay provide an interesting contrast in this late afternoon view of the area around milepost 110.  As the summer wanes, these contrasting colors fill the landscape until the fall explosion of orange, red and brown takes over in harmony.  Sometimes, the contrast is more exciting than the harmony.

Spirit of Perseverance

Parkway Series #356   12 x 16  oil   Sold

Another painting of my bicycle series, hopefully, captures the spirit of perseverance, the movement of the human form and the heat of an August day on the Blue Ridge. 

The Journey

Parkway Series #355   12 x 16   oil   SOLD

Did you read Liza's Field Notes today in the Roanoke Times!  Amazing how we think alike!  "Our soul's urge is to journey both inward and outward."  Everyone likes to travel, to see new places and to imagine mysterious destinations.  Summer is filled with travel but, in my book, we, who live in Southwest Virginia, have an incredible opportunity to stay home and experience journeys most people would envy!  Why sit trapped in glittery heat, diesel fumes and traffic jams to smell salt air filled with fake-coconut pie and speedboat gasoline smells?  I am staying home this summer and I intend to take full advantage of our incredible national resource, the Blue Ridge Parkway!!! as much as possible!!

Enjoying the Day

Parkway Series #354   12 x 16   oil   sold

I have decided to do a series of people on the Parkway.  I intend to find bicyclists and runners and fishermen and hikers and anyone else I can find enjoying the day!  The only people on the Parkway I refuse to paint are motorcyclists.  Sorry, but as far as I am concerned the noise ruins the ambiance for me.