river reflection

Spending so much of the last two days along the rivers has almost made time stand still. My father and I have been getting up before the sun, driving roads that are new to at least one of us (usually me), and telling stories of life on this land (mostly him). He said when we were standing on a river bank, throwing sticks for Umber, that being on the river is necessary to feel recharged. It makes you forget every worry as the water passes by, always replaced, always in motion.

kokosing

One of the main purposes of this trip is to seek out river imagery. Fortunately, my father has grown up and lived his whole life on the rivers here and he knew of dozens and dozens of great sites. This is one of his favorite fishing spots along the Kokosing River, timeless and clear, winding through beautiful ancient hills. This time wandering the countryside has further convinced me that this is one of the most incredible, "undiscovered" landscapes in the country.

field road

Stopping at this farm was almost a mystical experience. I turned from a small road down an even smaller one, and pulled up this sandy road. My trusty travel companion Umber jumped out of the car and bounced through the deep green fields. I listened for a moment to the perfect silence of the country, the breeze through the hay, the insects, the birds. Living in the city, I think I know moments of silence, but this is the only time when I truly hear it.

tiny creek

On Thursday I drove to Kentucky to deliver some paintings to the gallery in Louisville. I continued to Cincinnati to spend the night before taking the deliberate long way home. I love to get lost when looking for land, to drive and drive and be led by some unseen force showing me the way to that next place I simply must experience. This farm was in the flat heartland in south central Ohio, an area I usually drive right through...but this time I stopped to see.

tall trees in georgia

This week I have been on the road, driving many long hours. I started on Wednesday driving to Atlanta and back to switch out some paintings at the gallery. On the way back, I meandered through north Georgia, marvelling all along at the immense pines and golden light peeking through the branches. I finally understood what Eva Cassidy was singing about.

shenandoah

Another river study today, this time of the much wider Shenandoah. This is a river of magic for me, winding through the Blue Ridge Mountains, home to flashing, elusive fish and the dreams of a younger me.

virginia creek study

This week I have been thinking about rivers and streams as possible subjects for a commission this summer. One of my assignments is to depict a stream or river winding through flat country. I came across this lovely creek image from a painting trip with my friend Stephanie several years ago in the Shenandoah River valley. It took me right back to that extremely hot day, when we painted as fast as we could to beat the afternoon thunderstorm.

harpeth day

Today was one of those days that defines what life is all about. We spent most of it floating past some of the most beautiful countryside in the area, canoeing on the Harpeth River. The weather was balmy, and since it followed two days of rain, the river was nice and high...a good thing on a river that is notoriously low in mid-summer. We lost count of turtles sunning themselves on logs and plopping into the water at first sight of us. The Canada Geese and Great Blue Herons were not so shy, though, and let us get within a few feet of them. The only wildlife I didn't want to see was the watersnake that Umber stepped on-- I was just thankful it wasn't one of the venomous species we have encountered on previous trips! Now slightly sore and sunburned, I will rest easy tonight, restored by the river.

big sky

Today I helped my friend Aaron Grayum (www.tinymusicbox.com) sell his artwork at a local art show. My favorite piece of his was a landscape, mostly sky, with a boy flying a kite. Later in the day I had a conversation with someone who asked me if I ever focused on skies in my own work. All these references to the big blue ceiling had me thinking tonight about trying a piece with only a tiny bit of land, leaving a little more room to dream.

twilight tree study

I painted this tree over the winter when the sun was setting through its bare branches. We had a long afternoon of slow rain today, and I was drawn to the deep, clean green of its leaves now that spring is here.

mountain heartache

For some reason this week, I have been missing the mountains. I have been thinking every morning when I wake about opening my eyes to misty ridges, hearing the bubble of a stream, smelling that clean pine pure rain smell. It has been a dream of mine for over ten years to make my home there, and sometimes I just wonder what I am waiting for....

neighborhood twilight

I have noticed lately that the sunsets have been particularly warm and golden, even from such a limited perspective as my little neighborhood. Tonight it was a bit rainy, but still a warm, pleasant atmosphere outside as the light faded.

banks of the harpeth

This piece is from an image I shot earlier this spring on the banks of the Harpeth River. We are planning a canoe outing there sometime this week, so I am looking forward to revisiting the area, this time with a view of the water.

evening primrose

A few summers ago I thought it would be great to plant a variety of medicinal herbs and plants in the diverse little ecosystem that is our yard. I was not as good at growing them as I thought I would be, discovering that many medicinals need a delicate balance of forest soils or just the right amount of sunlight to thrive. They survive in the wild in exactly the place that is best suited for them, but they are sometimes difficult to cultivate for that reason-- we do not always know the exact spot to plant them. One of the few plants that thrived in my urban jungle was Evening Primrose. I found out later that it succeeds in poor conditions, even growing between cracks in concrete. These plants that most would consider weeds have reseeded themselves every year, and this is one of last year's dried seedpods, making way for the new green growth of spring.

dead wren

After hearing mysterious chirps coming from the basement this morning, we rooted around until we found this tiny injured baby wren just inside the door. I refuse to kick the wrens out when they nest above the dryer-- they are one of the few examples of wildlife I can witness up close in the city. I reacted as I was taught by my father as a young girl...put on some gloves, put the bird in a shoebox, and see if it recovers. Unfortunately, this one had a heart attack when I scooped it into the box, and died suddenly. It was quite tragic for me, since last year's brood of house wren hatchlings were snatched by a red-tailed hawk right outside my window on the day they fledged. I had hoped for a better fate for this year's babies. We buried it at the feet of St. Francis in the backyard and sowed wildflower seeds on its grave.

forest stream

This image is from one of my recent reference-finding outings. It was a beautiful spot next to a meadow on a dead-end road, and well worth finding when I was lost. I may attempt a larger version of it in the studio this week.

meadow creek study

Tomorrow I will be demonstrating painting at the Elm Tree Gallery in downtown Franklin, TN as part of their annual community arts festival. This is the image I plan to paint, although the final piece will be a horizontal composition. I found the spot on my travels through the southern part of the state, and I am looking forward to portraying it on a large scale.

dark edge

This field edge caught my eye as I drove past on a winding country highway, but at first I did not stop. When I discovered that I had missed the unmarked turn to get to the river, though, I had to turn around and drive past again, so this time I stopped to get a shot. I loved the bright yellow line of the field against the impenetrable forest edge.

duck river

Yesterday I took the day off from painting to take a drive down south with my dog Umber. I researched the terrain of the landscape using google earth, and even studied the weather patterns for the last month, hoping to find trees that still had green leaves. This late frost situation has really compromised my ability to find new subjects! The highlight of the day was finally getting to see the Duck River. It is beautiful and slow, carving out deep channels through the limestone that seems to substitute for topsoil in the southern part of the state. We took some time to wander along a path that follows it, and Umber even had a little swim.

distant field study

Back in the studio today, I have been working on producing new paintings to restock several galleries. This is a palette I have felt very connected with lately, soft blues and greens. I like the haze in the atmosphere, pushing back the rows of hills. It grows my anticipation of summer, humid and hazy.

knotted tree

This weekend we ventured out to Beaman Park once again, unable to resist the perfect spring weather. We explored the upper ridge trail this time, sad to see all the black leaves dangling from the trees. It was surprising to see how many trees on the trail had deformities, presumably from disease. They made for some interesting forms, though, and this large trunk was one of the most unusual.

iris

Once again breaking my "no flowers" rule (which is starting to seem pointless), I couldn't resist this lonely iris that miraculously bloomed overnight. After the massive frosts we had here in Tennessee over the past two weeks, it is amazing this delicate wonder made it through. I wish I could say the same for the leaves on the trees-- it looks more like autumn than spring in some places with all the black and maroon leaves withered on the branches. This is the exact variety of iris that grew in my front yard as a little girl. Their appearance always meant long summer days soon to come.

hazy horizon

Still sorting through images to plan the week in the studio, I found this image that I think will translate well to a larger piece. I attempted it in a smaller study several years ago, but I would like to revisit it in large scale. I love the palette of faint purples and pale blue-greens.

almost bare

I once painted a very distant view of a hillside, nearly bare but for a few clumps of trees. It turned out to be very desolate and almost unfriendly, and never sold. I have always been fond of this type of imagery, though. There is something appealing about a broad view from a long distance. I am still searching for a way to make it work in a less stark approach.

hill rows

Sometimes I find inspiration from old reference images...looking back through old pictures brings back memories and inspires new perspectives on familiar subjects. I painted a version of this image a couple of years ago, but found a different view of the spot that I'm considering revisiting...still working out the palette.

cumberland river

Today seemed like the perfect day to get out and gather some reference...a little overcast, warm, and slow. I made myself complete a painting, and then I set out to explore a county nearby I have never visited--Trousdale. It looked promising on the map, as the Cumberland River winds through it. I found this spot where the highway curves along a cliff high above the river. Otherwise, the trip was not so abundant with imagery, but I did find some lovely creeks and fields that will be more paintable when the leaves come in about a month from now.

marsh study

This is a study for a larger piece I completed today of a marshy area near Nashville. I have painted this subject before in a different format, but I really liked the final format of the large painting today, long and horizontal. The study has a life of its own, quick and painterly, a nice change from the more labored final product.

field study

Back in the studio today, I am working on ideas for some larger paintings. I have painted images of this spot before, but I recently came across some imagery that is elongated and would work well as a long, narrow composition. I thought this would be a good way to work out the palette before attempting a different layout.

pisgah national forest

We stopped in the Pisgah National Forest to stretch, let the dog splash in a mountain stream, and inspect our destroyed exhaust system. Yes, that's right. From the moment my bid was accepted as the winner, I feared that the 1988 dinosaur of a Cruiser would not make it the 400 miles back to Nashville, but it was the "reliable" Jetta that had issues in the end. The pipe to the catalytic converter snapped in half about 200 miles into the trip, resulting in an embarassing, sportscar-like, deafening drone for the rest of the weekend. At least this spot was quiet and tranquil, a peaceful mountain stream winding around a mountain, spotted with groves of trees.

mountain ridge

To make a long story short, I spontaneously purchased a beautiful red 1988 FJ62 Toyota Landcruiser on ebay last week, prompting us to drive to North Carolina over the weekend. Although it was probably one of the most insane things I've ever done, it has actually turned out well! We made it home in the "beast" just fine, and had a chance to drive all the way across the Smoky Mountains through snow and rain. This ridge was visible on the way east, a little misty and barren in the early spring cold.

tree row study

I have been preparing to return to the studio and catch up on lost time, so I have been sifting through old images looking for new inspiration. I found an image of a row of trees on a ridge at dusk and wanted to try the combination with light that I observed on the long drive home yesterday. It will take some more experimentation before the image is ready for a larger painting.

reclining nude study

After several days of resting my shoulder and having other adventures (to be described later), I am finally catching up on posts. This week I will hopefully be able to resume a regular painting schedule. This piece is based on a drawing I did in the last session of the figure class, our last class until summer. It was such a positive and invigorating experience working with the students, all of whom were enthusiastic and motivated. I always learn a great deal when I teach, and this was no exception.

gallatin road

Last night I noticed the sound of the trains going through my neighborhood late at night. The trestle is near enough to my house that I can often hear them rumbling as they pass. I drive under it whenever I go downtown, past the used-tire shops, barbecue joints, and used car lots that make up this urban neighborhood...never short on interesting sights.

in flight

Yesterday on our walk in Shelby Park this plane flew low overhead and I managed to get a shot of it. It seems to be an Air Force plane, a common sight this close to bases like Fort Campbell. Airplanes were a motif in a recurring dream I had as a child, and I still find them a fascinating subject visually.

grackle

Since I have been trying to heal my shoulder (mostly unsuccessfully), my dog been moping around the house, missing our walks. We finally ventured out to Shelby Park today for a little stroll. The cold has not stifled the procreative urge in the birds inhabiting the marsh-- we witnessed several displays of male bravado in mallards, cardinals, and even this grackle. At first, I thought it was puffing itself up since I was getting too close with my camera, but then its partner came into view out of the brush, flying up to meet it as we moved along.

easter sunday

It was a beautiful Easter Sunday here, though a bit cold. We went to church for the first time in quite a while, and spent the remainder of the day with friends and family...a day filled with gratitude and contentment.

kentucky tree

I have painted a couple of different versions of this tree, one that I spotted on a farm during a drive through southern Kentucky last fall. It has a very strong presence that I still have yet to capture.

malcolm holcombe

Friday night we had the all too rare opportunity to hear one of our favorite songwriters, Malcolm Holcombe. Malcolm is the real thing, hailing from the mountains of western North Carolina. His gravelly voice is certainly best experienced live, when he always surprises with improvisation and performances filled with heart.

red cedar

On the shore of one of the hidden lakes grows this incredible, ancient eastern red cedar. In this view, none of the green "needles" are even visible. Its twisting, gnarled trunk grips the rock firmly as it has for decades. A captivating tree, an old soul.

under the tree

I often painted at this farm when I was living in Ohio. It is about a mile from where I grew up and has been a favorite subject. I also painted a larger version of this image, which turned out quite well.

woods mist

When I took the reference images for this piece, it was so rainy and steamy that the image turned out misty and foggy. I wanted to experiment with getting that effect in paint, and I have not attempted any larger pieces from this set of images,so I thought this would be a good chance to try it.

dark lake

Being housebound all week led me to search through some old reference for inspiration. This image is from our day at hidden lake this month, a view of the distant cliffs and murky water. I especially liked the pale trees against the darker pines.

new addition

When the weather was still warm last week, we made our way to the garden center to buy some plants. This sad little cactus was slightly diseased, but Derek liked its uniqueness, so we brought it home (at a discount!). We'll see how it fares in the long run...I don't tend to have the best luck with plants.

highway

I am finally catching up on the paintings after several days of resting the shoulder. I was drawn to this image after working at an art workshop all weekend last week with domestic violence survivors. It seemed like a good visual metaphor for where my thought were all weekend.

ouch!

Due to a very persistent muscle strain/tendonitis in my shoulder, I am under orders to rest my painting arm completely for at least a few days. This is why I have not posted for the last two days. I will be posting "catch-up" pieces as soon as possible. I can't wait to get back to the easel, but I have finally resigned myself to resting up so that I can get back to work quickly. There's no torture like sitting around the studio staring at blank canvas that you can't paint on. :-(

twilight through trees

I love the way the sky and mountains peek through the tree limbs like little jewels. It is quite enjoyable to experiment with images that I wouldn't necessarily attempt on larger canvases. I particularly like this one, and have already started thinking about a strategy for working on it on a larger scale.

mountaintop study

Apologies for the late post today...I seem to have pulled some muscles in my shoulder and after last night's drawing class I was simply in too much pain to paint. I am still captivated by imagery from our weekend in North Carolina. This is from a spot that I painted in the morning looking to the west. I can still close my eyes and see the rows of mountains receding in the distance.

dogwood flowers

On our way home from North Carolina, we marveled that we had not seen a drop of rain-- a rare thing in the Smoky Mountains. It was probably the first time I have been there that we had sunny skies the entire time. Of course, we had gentle spring showers all day here in Tennessee, the kind of warm rain that makes the pale green of early spring glow on the trees and ground. I was surprised to see that even in a few short days, the dogwoods had bloomed. We are fortunate to have both a pink and a white dogwood tree in a little grove beside the house. In our absence, spring arrived.

up the mountain

We ended up camping on the mountaintop Sunday night. I spotted this incredible place on the way up to the top and Lee was kind enough to stop the truck long enough for me to shoot here. This early in the spring, the green lichens on the trees almost glow against the dark ground. When we reached the top, Derek spotted a black bear running throught the woods ahead of us. It was my first sighting of an adult bear and his first bear sighting ever! That, combined with steaks cooked on the campfire, coyotes howling in the distance, and mountains stretching out in the moonlight, made for a magical night.

top of the world

There is something so deeply moving about standing at a high point, rising above the concerns and trappings of life, and viewing the world from a different perspective. When I was in Egypt I watched the sunrise from a point such as this, and it was one of those experiences that almost warps time...that hour when I normally would have been asleep or doing something equally mundane is forever burned into my memory as a significant event, lived in soul-time. Any time spent on a mountaintop has the same effect on me. We "climbed" to the top of this one in Lee's 4Runner (the plein-air monster, as he just nicknamed it), and I could not stop giggling as we approached the top, giddy with each new view of blue mountains reaching into other states. Tonight we will sleep there, and watch the sun rise on the world in the morning.

twilight path

We spent yesterday afternoon on a mountaintop near Lee's place in Big Pine. While I painted, "the boys" took walks and explored the ridge. I had a hard time deciding what to paint, since there were far-reaching views in all directions. I finally put down the brushes and went off to try to catch up to them, but became preoccupied with the silence and solitude of the path, and I ended up alone at the top of the mountain, watching the sun set.