Front Royal is the Canoe Capital of Virginia and they are holding a river festival on August 15th. In conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the town being named Canoe Capital they are asking artists to participate in a paddle art display. I just completed my entry:
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.
A special thank you to our friend Kym who came up with the name for this one – “Dog Paddle!”
The completed paddle and, of course, everyone’s a critic!
The paddles will be on display at shops in downtown and then featured in the Blue Ridge Arts Council’s “Art in the Window Gallery” on Main Street in Front Royal from July 22 – August 21.
You can learn more about the festival by clicking on the events tab of www.canoecapital.org .
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.
Another great day of painting on location at Hilton Head. I discovered a really nice town park right on the marsh and set up there to paint about 8:15 a.m. Boy, did it get hot fast this morning. Not a lot of breeze blowing and within an hour I was burning up. But I kept painting and got a nice little 9″x12″ oil painting completed. I took photos at different stages so you could see how I work. 
I spent a little time painting yesterday morning at the bend going to South Beach yesterday… South Beach at Hilton Head Island, SC. It was early but there was still quite a few people out walking and I talked to some very nice people from Ohio and Pennsylvania as well as locals. People are always curious when they see you painting. Some will come over and ask questions. This is the scene I painted. The three little lines you see (one at the top and two at the bottom) are the metal prongs that hold the painting on the french easel. I took this photo while still wet on the easel so I could get it posted right away. 
(This painting is 
Today’s painting is Olives on Teal I measuring 8″x10″. It is an oil on canvas and is available for $145 (unframed). Contact 
The Studio 