Landscape of Virginia

We're Covered w The White Stuff Today. This is my backyard and there is a stairway under their somewhere buried under some of that white snow. I think I'll be stepping carefully on the way out later on. We only have sixteen inches here but on the other side of the Blue Ridge Mtns they have twenty seven recorded inches at Sherando State Park. That's snug tucked up against the western edge of the Blue Ridge Mtns near Waynesboro,Va. The schools just we let out for the winter break yesteday and no more than a few hours later this weather began to fall upon us. The officals say it's the largest snowfall ever that located itself in this part of Virginia that could be found in their records. But those records only go back to the ninteen sixties so I don't know how much creedence I would give that claim. It sure is nice though that we finally have some of the white stuff slowing things down. For me at least, it's a lot of fun. So fa...

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...

I'll be headed up to the wild and wonderful hills of Berkeley Springs once again to visit my good friend from my early college days Dan. It seems like he wants me to paint a canvas of his new home he has had built on his property. So I will bring along a small canvas and a drawing pad and see what is up with that whole idea. Not to say that will do it, I really don't know what Dan usually has in mind until I talk directly with him. He's always the one for "special favors" and that's certainly ok, he's earned it with the friendship we had back in the day. I also have been painting a lot this summer and it's gone well. Last week I finished two painting on Monday and Tues of the Gibson's Market store that is a landmark if one ever has been to this part of Charlottesville, it's always mentioned in the directions' one might give a stranger if they wanted to go to Belmont or anywhere in Belmont. I enjoyed painting it and I was able t...

It's been an interesting and somewhat busy, productive day. I finished on painting of Belmont BBQ, got a preliminary drawing of a new restaurant opening in this area by the name of "Tavola" and then pulled out a canvas and got the start of a new painting underway. There is still daylight left to do more if I so choose, but I think just kick'n back for a while aught to work. I was down in the heart of Belmont, which has become my favorite place to set up and paint this summer. I've gott'n some good work out of all the new buildings that have a new home in Belmont, but I also enjoy some of the older ones too. I can say, the work still is look'n good to me. But now it's time to celebrate the Fourth with some friends I haven't seen in a while but with whom I feel a fondness for none the less. I am thankful for a country where I can paint as I please wherever I please without fear of retribution of any kind for what I love doing. Ma...