Cades Cove, Dec 2012

I managed to get out for a few hours and paint in Cades Cove.  Pleny of tourists for a Friday afternoon.  It was nice to do some plein air painting.  I still have much to learn and practice but I have fun doing it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cades Cove-Thunderhead Mountain

This is a favorite subject of mine.  I love the Smoky Mountains and go several times a year to fly fish and camp with my wife...well, she doesn't fly fish...she mostly relaxes and swims in the cool mountain water that runs through the campground.  Bob White bought this one from me.  He could tell I was a little down the dumps and wanted to lift my spirits I think.  It's 9X12 Oil on board.  I need to work my tertiaries into my paintings more.

Leiper's Fork

My wife and I decided to get out of the house this Saturday and take a look around Leiper's Fork.  It had been years since I had been through and I wanted to see it again and take a look around the galleries.  It was very hot outside but we braved the heat to see good art and have a nice lunch.  We parked and walked to several galleries the nicest of which was Leiper's Creek Gallery.

This place had great organic produce:

 

 We ate lunch at the general store that has a small selection of basics in the grocery section, a nice little restaurant and a stage for a band to play on.  They also had a tiny bar with 3-4 stools and a decent selection of beer on tap.  The food wasn't so great but we will go back and try a different meal as my wife and I split a plate.  If you are an art lover and get the chance to go, you should.  The town is a varied mix of blur collar and educated types that blend together to make a nice community.

Tennessee Spring 11X14 Oil on Canvas

Tennessee Fall (Autumn) 9X12 Oil on canvas

Thunderhead Mountain 9X12 Oil on Canvas

Date stamp on the camera is wrong.  This was on 5-4-2012

Finished- Field by Stones River

Field by Stones River 11X14 Oil on Canvas

Finally got out to do a bit of plein air painting today.  It was very windy and I don't have the proper tripod (flush mount) for my little homeade pochade box so I spent a lot of my time holding on to it and the canvas.  It wasn't too bad but I sure will be happy when I get the right tripod.  This is a little field by Stones River here in Smyrna, TN.  It's in one of the WMA areas along the river.  It's over by the west fork boat ramp if you want to go do a little exploring.  Lots of neat little meadows if you start walking around in the woods.  I saw two turkey yesterday when I was scouting the area.  As we walked in I met a local gentleman and his dog.  My dog greeted his as we talked and about the time we got to talkin' good they started wanting to fight so I moved on.  Anyway, here is a few pics of my little adventure.  Due to it being so windy I am going to finish my sky in the studio.

The set up:

Me and my best buddy (aside from my wife Rebecca):

The rest:

Back in "The Studio" (aka the corner of my living room):

"Duck River Field" 9X12 Oil on Canvas

"Standing Water" 9X12 Oil on Canvas

Why do I paint landscapes?

For me it gets me closer to nature, closer to how I believe man is really meant to live. Society pursues the next big tech gadget, the next sporty car, the next rolex or piece of high fashion that they think will make them happy. I go into nature and see the otter, the trout, the bear, the muskrat, the deer, the groundhog and more and see them live in relative peace, only taking what they need and leaving the rest. I wish we could live this way and when I go out to paint or take reference pictures I feel like I'm a million miles from a society that values a video game over watching a turkey and her poults, but there's no money in quail, woodcock or native grasses, so we take it for granted and are trained from birth do buy and keep buying. I have set a goal to retire and get out of the rat race as soon as I can so that I can paint. Not because I'm lazy but because I see it for what it is; a game that makes some wealthy and others unhealthy and out of touch with the important things in life. I paint landscapes because they are where I want to be. 

"Jakes Creek" 9X12 Oil on Canvas

"Idaho Valley" 9X12 Oil on Canvas

Painted for a fellow fly fisherman.  It's a scene from his road trip to fish in Idaho.

"Pheasant Tail" 8X10 Oil on Canvas

"A Brook Trouts Home" 9X12 Oil on Canvas