The Art Walk last night was great! It’s the first time since we started over a year ago that I have actually been able to get away from the shop (Delilah’s) and see what the other artists and shops are doing. And boy was it fun.
The Blue Ridge Arts Council Gallery had a good turn out of people looking at the Member Show when I stopped by there. That show runs till the first part of August and is my favorite each year. I love seeing what everyone has been working on. www.blueridgearts.org
And I love how people really get into describing what they like about paintings to their friends.
Some artists were set up on the street even though it was a very HOT evening…
And some really smart artists, like Michelle, were set up inside in an air conditioned shop painting beautiful works of art. (You know I am especially fond of dogs so I loved this one!)
And we even had a group of ladies from Winchester who were making one of a kind greeting cards that were just lovely.
I didn’t get photos of all the artists that were working last night at the art walk. There were many more so you will need to mark your calendar for the 3rd Thursday in August (August 20th) and come downtown and see for yourself.
It is so nice to have an ongoing art event like this in Front Royal. Good job everybody!
Today’s painting is one I did a few months ago during a 3rd Thursday Art Walk. I started it that night and completed it over the next few days. It is called “Weeping Cherry Tree at the Train Station” and it is on display at the Blue Ridge Arts Council as part of the Member Show.
When you paint for a living you often spend a lot of time doing things other than painting. Marketing takes up a great deal of time – working on the blog and website can take hours of time that I would rather spend painting but that’s part of the deal. 
They were a very nice group of girls, and along with their chaperones, they were curious about how I got to this point in my business. It’s always fun to speak to a group of people who have the same interests. Good luck girls with your “business badge”. And come see us again at Delilah’s.
I have always believed that anyone can paint. Many people say to me that “I don’t have the talent or the gift to paint”. My response has always been that you don’t need “talent”, just desire. You can learn techniques; you can learn about color theory; you can learn about composition. But you can’t learn desire. You have to want to paint. I have a terrific class of students currently on Wednesdays from 5 – 6:45. This is one of the painters, Shelly, working on her landscape.
And here is Yvonne working on a mountain and river scene. 
I took a ride yesterday out to Philip Carter Winery in Hume, Virginia. It is a lovely area with the beautiful vines all green and lush and the mountains in the background. 
There will be many great scenes to paint as they have buildings, ponds, and lots of vines to paint. I can’t wait.
These paintings are available by contacting me at 
Jordan and I became friends in the short time that I was there.
Green Onions I is an oil on canvas panel measuring 8″x10″ and is framed and available for $195. This painting can be seen at Delilah’s on Main Street in Front Royal, Virginia.
Green Onions II is an oil on canvas panel measuring 8″x10″ and is available framed for $195. It also can be seen at Delilah’s.
Here’s the start. I covered the entire paddle with acrylic paint making it look like a scene from the river with the sky above.
Next I sketched in the details that I wanted to paint on the paddle and started painting them in.
This is the finished detail of the paddle with the “Boys” on the front and Canoe Capital on the back.
The completed paddle and, of course, everyone’s a critic!
This is my reference photo. I always take one before I begin. 
“View from the Bowen Farm” is an oil on canvas panel measuring 9″x12″ and is framed and available for $275. Just contact me at 
Truman and Jed love to go for a ride in the truck. And I try to take them with me as much as I can. I did a quick sketch of the way they look with their little heads at the window. This was an exercise to loosen up for another painting that I’ve been working on. Plus it was fun.
The Studio 