Romania is a colorful place. This is an oil painting of a street in the town of Sighisoara, Romania. On my frequent travels rarely a time goes by I do not see this flower lady selling her fresh picked bouquets to the visitors to the citadel. This particular piece has been made into prints to be used in a fundraising effort for the Christian social service agency called Veritas which works with the poorer Roma families from the town and surrounding villages. My love of color and the newly painted facades as part of the revitalization efforts in Sighisoara just had to be painted.
Shenandoah Mountain Road
As we headed back from our long walk along the dirt road back to our cabin, I was captivated by the contrast of the black forest pines playing against the deep yellow fields in the background. This road has been well traveled and the land part of an old family homestead. Potato fields and old fenced corrals are a few of the remaining reminders of this Virginia outback. The road runs for several miles along the ridge line of the Shenandoah Mountains. To keep the essence of this scene I created a black and white photo and used that as my starting point bringing color into the painting gradually not wanting to lose the drama of the scene. I began using sepia and then added color. This was a new approach for me and one I will definitely try in the future. The scene took on an old world feeling. The beauty and serenity of this place never disappoints whether it be an early spring morning walk or a hike in late autumn.
North River
This painting was done in plein air near Port Republic, Virginia. This was the point where the North River and the South River meet to form the Shenandoah River. I was with a group of artists who were particpating in an outdoor session with Ron Boehmer as our instructor. The day was overcast and chilly but Ron had made a fire to help keep us warm. The smell and crackling of the fire created a pleasant time for all in spite of the chill.
