Landscape of Virginia

The local spot that people often gather in this little town can be the shops near the edge of town at all hours of the day. It's the last stop where the stomach can be satisfied and the thirst quaffed with a cold one of any kind. It is often a meeting ground for many towns folks and where the days attitude is shared. That is why I decided our local spot on the edge of town needed to be remembered with my brush. The photo is of a painting I did complete yesterday of one of these spots on the way of most people's homeward trip from work. Many say art imitates life but sometimes it just reflects it. That's where I am at today. Tomorrow is an Opening where I will show some of this summers artwork from me.

  Even in 100 degree heat I am able to ride for a little while getting myself out to "The Store" which is in the background. "The Store" is a classic old Virginian Mom and Pop store with the design so often used of cement and cinderblock with cement holding the building all together. I use to go to stores up where I grew up in Northern Virginia but up their they are all gone. Today, I thought I would remember them with a few photos while some still are around.

Another hot morning , but one needs to brace oneself for what is to come but getting underway early so when the oven-door opens one is fully engaged in life. Painting outdoors is rather tough to do under these skies but if one is clever enough one finds ways to cope. This artist likes to get a start onsite and then finish up the canvas at home. It works when one has a good camera to capture an image from which to work when one is the comfort of the studio. I've done three or four canvases this way and it does help quite bit to be at home. Refreshments and various paints can be easily accessed so that nothing is left behind while working on outdoor scenes. Fortunately for me, I do have a good camera and a system for showing these images on an HDTV screen, from there it's easy to work on a canvas using such a system. The results are this painting of "Greenwood Station Rd." which I wasn't able to work onsite due to there was no shoulder to ...

I'm having a great time seeing my two friends from Wheeling Jesuit University where I was a student for just a couple of years back some forty years ago. It's great to reconnect and granted we do reminisce some, well maybe a lot, but we do enjoy being together once again. I don't know many people who wouldn't enjoy doing this, being at his new house in the countryside and eating in nice restaurants is anyone's dream life come true. Here in this photo we are standing at an overlook of the valley which is above Winchester and the northernmost part of the Shenandoah Valley, at least that is what is behind us. We're actually at about two thousand feet above sea level or maybe even higher. At this spot we might even be equal to standing at Afton Mtn. or Doyles Falls on the Skyline Drive. It was a good view eastward from here, and it was cooler than many of my past days down in Charlottesville, but the main thing is that here I am very please to be ...

This work is of the Belmont section of Charlottesville painted in the morning sun of June 2010. It is of a group of buildings that has gone under a complete overhaul and renovation during the past five years. Now housing a group of popular restaurants, these buildings are quite a nice site grouped together in the "downtown Belmont" section of Charlottesville, Virginia. The orientation for this painting was such that it was painted from an old Texaco station that now houses a tire company. And because of that the Texaco sign dominates the scene but not so uncomfortably that it seems out of sorts here in the middle of my canvas, I see it as setting the tone of this painting. It is making what was once old and forgotten back to something fresh and new. The title of this painting is : " Belmont Summertime"

Chilles Orchard is quite good for picking peaches when the place isn't picked clean. Yesterday I happened by only to find out that it was picked out. It was a fun place none the less, they have plenty of cider of both strawberries and peach in various size bottles. What a wonderful store and a natural resource for our little bit of the Piedmont of Virginia.

The People Combed the Peaches The folks came in droves to pick out some peaches from Chilles Orchard. Problem was the trees had been picked clean the day before and no picking was allowed on this day. It didn't stop these people from taking a look at what was available, which were peaches that were much smaller in size but were up for sale. I like the peach cider myself which one could buy in the 16 oz size or the gallon jug if one was so inclined for a keeper to take home.

Artwork in Crozet IGA Parking Lot Ya can't get much better than murals in one's grocery store parking lot. It seems like someone did something just for the idea of art for art sake. I love it! These murals show much of the surrounding areas of Crozet and who else could have shown it off but someone local, who has guts to do something this size in the first place. It turned out well and all people I've talked to love it as well. It's much bigger than I could show in this one photograph but for the people of this little Virginia town it means quite a bit.

The Day is a Gift. The sun is out, the air is warm, and my bike is ready to go. No it's not a Harley, it's a Trek 6500 and it's a ****bike but it's cool. I am thankful for the roads, pathways and Rails to Trails advocacy that has had me ride my Trek. I hope the veterans can at some point see and enjoy both the off road trails and miles of highways that this country has to offer those of us on two wheels. The Day is a Gift. I promise to make the most of each one. I will not waste it away. I will be active and get out of the house and see this day. I have made much of my summer break making art, eating out with friends, and socializing with 'fellow-travelers' in the evenings. But today is a day in which I will reflect on what let's me do all of this and where are my own responsibilities to leave behind something worthwhile for others. Enjoy the Fourth as I am sure I will.