Train Crossing n Rockfish

The north/south line travels passed me just a short distance away and it has had a rather unique little crossing gate house just where the road goes over it. The train seldom passes by yet this crossing captured my attention mostly because of its so tiny. There is enough room for one lineman to sit and wait to stop traffic. Now there is an electronically controlled signal but I think it maybe that the small house use to put up a man who would stop traffic once he heard the sound of the train whisel coming close by. But it is something one just doesn't see much of anymore what with the days of computer automation happening all around us, so I thought I would draw it.

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What Has Worked;

The Trees Are Turning Now

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Fall. In this part of the country the trees are just beginning to change their color. Some very dark Alizarin Crimson is beginning to show up on the tops of our trees. It's the start. I am looking forward to the cool breezes and the need to put on some warmer clothes in order to bike ride around. It's just starting. I found myself checking the temperatures today just to see if I need a sweatshirt in order to ride in the evening today. I do so if it seems rather like a clear sky and we're under sixty five. We did have lower temps but the skies were cloud covered tonight. I wore my shorts and a nice shirt on my ride and I was just fine. The nice thing is on a bike one heats up under a sweatshirt so it become a comfortable manner of both traveling and also being outdoors all in one. I'm thankful to be living outside of the crowded cities where one is always near choking smoke from traffic. Granted it was a lot worse years ago when I lived in Philly...
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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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Trails I've Ridd'n on My Mountain bike and a 1970's hybrid

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In talking to a local gentleman here in Charlottesville, I found out that what is now a mountain biking trail on Observatory Hill use to be an equestrian trail that allowed bikes to be ridden on it back in the day. Now, it's a fun spot that's nearby town's folk go to for a cheap thrill and the enjoyment of a little mountain biking. The trail is up a tough climb from any newcomers experience, but it's worth the climb for the sake of getting away from the city grime, and traffic noise. I've often ridden it for the fun of it, and it's a quick ride thru the woods on a good sized hill. Some people go a breakneck speeds on the trail itself but I enjoy taking a look around so I'm more inclined to take my time. Thinking back, I've ridden from Philadelphia, Pa. to Mt.Vernon along the eastern shore and back again during the hottest part of the summer of 1972. I lost a lot of water-weight on that ride but I was memorable 9 to me at least) as a feat not easi...
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Down in Fifeville during the 1980's and 90's

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I've been looking through some older drawings . I really didn't get a lot from them that I can show with confidence but there are a few. One has to go through a process in order to get to "the good stuff" but I did do the footwork to get to where I am today. This drawing is one I did only a few years ago as I was living near the downtown area and a section known as "Fifeville". It's housed both the working class, African Americans and otherwise has had to have much of it torn down due to street changes and old dwelling becoming just too old to stand. One was a house I lived in and painted in, it was located on King Street. I lived their from 1979 or so ( I remember the new Pope was named the day I moved in which was Pope John Paul II at the time) until I was hospitalized for my addiction and usage of drugs until I went off. I don't do that anymore but I did and it was a part and parcel of my existence during my active days of my addictio...
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Hamner Crossing: The Oil

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Sometimes as an artist one will come across a scenic place that is just calling out to be put into an oil painting. Such was this spot in Nelson County right where the railroad tracks going North and South pass through the County. It has plenty of space, and visual impact one might expect from a railroad crossing. From as far back as Edward Hopper (which isn't that far of a stretch) the railroad scenes have been a real draw for we visual artist. Rails have such great and large visual props. This crossing caught my attention with its two crossing guards and lights. It is so structured and its contrasted by the chaos of mother nature all around it. So here we have order surrounded by chaos, what a site of novelty and the promise of good subject matter for my canvases. I started by photographing the scene. I took perhaps thirty or so photos from one side of the tracks but doing it from all angles. I simply walked far down the road and then walked back towards the g...
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