Burning up this Earth; let's cut it out


I'd like to think that this country wants to do something about global warming in a very real way. I am hopeful that these people we elected in Washington can get going on something sooner rather than later. I just read a posting that there will be a summit of somekind in Washington late next month. We do need something big to curb our style of burning stuff and loading the skies with our junk.
I have taken a pledge to curb my production of hydrocarbons by using alternative forms of transportation as much as possible in the coming years. After doing this I rode my bike to take care of business for the last two days and I didn't have to drive my car at all in those two days. Today when I did drive, I combined my trips to do chores into one use of my car. I got my laundry, workout at the gym, grassraking all done in one trip instead of three separate ones, give me a star. But in all seriousness it is good to do what you can now even if the gas guzzlers still rule the roadways and make it seem absurd to even try to curb use of burning fuels when others are just putting the pedal to these oversized engines. Oh well, I'll keep trying to stick to my pledge.

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What Has Worked;

Walton Home 'n Schuyler, Va.

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The proverbial home of Earl Hammner called to me to be painted. He was the author of the Americana book "The Waltons" and also the script writer for the TV show that followed. The TV show was widely seen during the 1980's. In this town of Schuyler where I now live E. Hammner is an icon and a museum has been established out of what was the elementary school in Schuyler. The museum is devoted to that TV show and its actors, memorabilia, plus a WWII museum added on to it. Folks who own the house now give tours to the Hammer home 9am to 5pm daily with only Sundays off. Schuyler is just off Rt 6 on Rt 800 (or Schuyler Rd) which is just east of Rt 29 and 30 miles south of Charlottesville (the home of The University of Virginia). I felt like I had been ignoring painting this home long enough and when I stopped into Ike's General Store to buy the local paper (the Daily Progress) some asked me if I ever painted it. Then it hit me: "I ought to do so, and ...
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"Hopes for the Sycamores"

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Looking at a painting for a year or so one can see that so much more could be done with it. In this vein, I took a brush and palette up to work on "Cloven Sycamores" which had been sitting in a blind alley (or my storage room for artwork) for some time. I began this one in my bedroom just looking out over the river below (it's not the James but the Rockfish River which does flow into the James River)me as I look out from the back of my house. A good friend said that I needed to do a painting of those two trees. I said "No way man!!" I felt it would be just too big of an object to fit into any canvas of mine. Then a year when by n I was simply pulled into that view when I was just gazing on afternoon upon that pair. I began it in 2013. I had the drop cloth bought simply for the reason of protecting the bedroom carpet from my easel's drippings. I set up on a sunny day and when to work. The start didn't take long I think in five hours I had...
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'South Street' Concert Hall

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A concert hall is always of interest in the memories who have seen starpower performances take place in its interior. Because of that fact I have painted this canvas using the sight of 'South Street' bar/music venue as a subject for its surface. This building and the pink warehouse beside it are both etched into the memories of music lovers of the city of Charlottesville. The pink warehouse was the sight for practice sessions of the Dave Mathews Band in its early days when it played in local stages. The 'South Street' bar has drawn many bands of late and is a fixture in the local music scene. Both buildings are on a street nearby the railroad tracks and were used to hold commercial products from trains delivered to this city. I found working all the color in the bricks to be the challenge. The windows also were daunting but could be worked into a suitable appearance once I put myself into the task mode of using changing color for each pane of glass within...
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Penn Academy of the Fine Art Visit in Philly

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I made it up to Sinking Springs Pennsylvania and then into Philadelphia the next day, what a great city! The city was really alive with people and new stores and buildings that I had never seen before. It was really a treat for me. My friends (Mike and Annson) took me to the new school building for PAFA and then into our old classrooms in the Museum building. It was nice to see the classrooms where I worked so hard to "get it right" but I never felt like I did "get it right". But no matter I had the desire to keep working and the teachers were encouraging none-the-less no matter how "bad" I felt my artwork was coming out. I was carefully brought into the creative world during those formative years in the Old Museum Building. I did practice and work everyday I could when I was a student in the certificate program at the Academy. After working on casts, it seemed like I improved in my abilities to bring out something worthwhile because of...
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Faber Rd View Southward

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This is one of the most beautiful spots in the lower 48 states or such is my own belief about my home area. In driving back and forth to work I often will take a short cut even if it is a slower way home. Reason being; its just nice to see the countryside with many of the roadside views looking like they belong on a postcard. This painting is the result of taking one of those shortcuts home. It is back off the beaten path somewhat, but it is not a hidden view it is simply not a view many people see. It is in southern Albemarle County just north or around Nelson County in Central Virginia but it is on a back road. The farm shown has two owners. These two elderly women still live their, working on the farm even in their eighties. One can see that this spot has some history although not to the extent European farms might but enough for us around here. In the background is Walton's Mountain, yes the same one mentioned in Earl Hammner's book "the Wal...
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