Blue Moon Show

Once again it is time for the Chestnut Group's "Blue Moon Show" next Saturday night. It is the show held at the Glen Leven Mansion in conjunction with the annual Land Trust for Tennessee fundraiser. The Chestnuts, with Bitsy King acting as Chairman and guide, has worked diligently and has put together, over the past year, phenomenal properties to paint on. We have some exceptional properties that have been protected in perpetuity for future generations here in Tennessee thanks to The Land Trust and the owners who participate. If you have property and are considering it, contact the folks at the Land Trust and I am sure they will be more than glad to explain the details and help you" give the gift that keeps giving".
Also, I will be leaving Wednesday morning for a road trip over to Brazier Fine Art in Richmond Virginia for a three day workshop and a show. The reception for the show will be Thursday night the 20th and the workshop the next three days. If you're anywhere near Richmond drop by and say "hi".

Back In The Bend

Had another extraordinary day in Totty's Bend. Got up early enough to see morning light and rising fog. This time of year the temperature changes make the landscape very dramatic and moody. From the color of the foliage to the fog and mist due to the collision of a temp difference.

This was painted on a high spot on my "haybale friend's" farm overlooking the Duck River as it curves around to form the lower end of Totty's Bend. The fog was following it right along the treeline and was about the only fog left as I finished the painting. Like everything else this time of year, it just goes by too fast.

Workshop / Show

A quick post to let everyone know I am teaching a workshop in conjunction with a one man show at Brazier Fine Art in Richmond Virginia. The dates are Thursday night the 20th for the reception and the workshop begins Friday morning and is a three day workshop ending Sunday afternoon. I think the show will hang for a month so if you're anywhere near Richmond over the month of November stop by or if you would like a hands on plein air landscape workshop I am sure the girls at Brazier would be glad to sign you up. 804-358-2771 and tell them I said "hi".

Frost!

Finally, after an August and September that felt like they would never end with 95 - 100 degree days the norm, we finally got officially into Autumn.  Not on the calendar but weather wise. I always measure the calendar at the end of the year by certain events and changes in the weather. Dove season was always the end of summer for me. Activities, schedules and weather would change after that opening. Then the next was the first frost. Autumn began in earnest and the woods and fields started a different look and feel. Opening day of deer season was another milestone when cold weather was close behind. Real cold weather, winter weather. And then the first snow which meant that deep, short days, bone chilling cold for the next few weeks. After that it was waiting for that first 70 degree day to change in the other direction.

Yesterday we had our first significant frost so I forced myself out of bed early enough to enjoy it before the sun burned it off and I have to say it was worth it. The sky was crystal clear and the creatures were out. I saw more wildlife than I have seen in months. I guess they were glad the summer was over too. After riding awhile I wound up painting in Totty's Bend at a friends farm who had called to let me know he had round bales on the ground. As I painted the sun was burning the frost off the tops and creating vapor that I tried and found out frost vapor is a little tough to paint.
Now that we have had that first good frost things will start to change rapidly over the next few weeks and there is not a better place to catch the show than here in middle Tennessee.