Art of the Mountains

Baker Barn: The Baker Barn once stood in Monongalia County, West Virginia, as part of the historic Baker Family Farm, which was slated to be removed to make way for a highway. But a gentleman visiting from Colorado bought the barn from the Baker family, had it dismantled and shipped to Colorado where it stands today, reassembled and covered with Cedar shingles. I was commissioned to draw it as it was, before a single board was removed.

End of the Day, Egg Tempera, 2006: You could say this painting is a work of fiction, but one that tells the truth. To create this image, I combined two separate photographs. To establish the setting, I used a photo of the coal town of Elkhorn, West Virginia. The man is from the east Kentucky coalfields. I wanted to convey the feeling one gets when returning to the warmth and security of home after a long day.

Morning’s Work, Gouache, 1994: John and Ella Preston were school teachers in eastern Kentucky with a passion for education and the mountains. They exemplified longstanding Appalachian traditions of respect for the land and the practicality of growing your own food. And they were blessed to live their lives in one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Mt. Rogers Trail: As a landscape artist I get to combine my art work and a love of exploring. For this piece I worked from a photo I took on a bike packing trip I took in the Abingdon and Mt. Rogers area of Virginia. This route is called Rockgeist in honor of the number of rocks we carried the bikes over. But we were we rewarded with wonderful scenery and a stunning sunset.

Fall on Cheoah Creek at Tapaco Lodge: Fall is a welcome season for photographers and painters after the overabundance of summer’s green foliage. I found this scene along Hwy 129 in North Carolina near the Tennessee border. I knew immediately I wanted to paint it in that it combined so many elements I look for in a landscape: dramatic scenery including a creek and an architectural element. Best of all it, was from the deck of a popular eatery.

Morning Pond: This painting was inspired by a scene near my home in north Georgia. I visited a small pond on private property. It was early in the morning. I am fascinated by water and reflections. I love painting this subject matter. I generally start my paintings with an under layer of an earth red since it is a complement to the cooler greens and blues found in the southeastern U.S. landscape.

October Sunrise: This painting was inspired by a pastoral location in southwest Virginia that I have visited frequently. I took several photos of the sunrise to work from. I used several layers of oil paint. My goal was to capture the lyrical beauty and character of this group of trees at a dramatic time of day.