Charm of the Carolines

At the Hampshire-Williamsport Split

Recently I took a side trip toward Williamsport looking for a little inspiration.

Just outside of town you'll find a sweet, old barn tucked in between two new buildings bustling with people and activity. It sits there quietly between the two new structures on what is now a busy highway across from the YMCA. If you drive by too quickly, you'll miss it.

This barn is a beautiful testament to a by-gone era when Maury County was more old south charm than new south progress, when agriculture was a lifestyle and not a hobby.

I get a melancholy feeling when I find majestic and well-loved southern architecture that has come to the end of its life cycle. In a perfect world, old homes and barns and depots and businesses would be fully restored and useful for many generations, but I know that is not always possible. So, I do my part serving on the board of the Maury County Historical Society to help preserve history as best we can for the community and then painting historic buildings and places to preserve renderings on canvas.

I started with a limited palette.  And then mixed the colors that I thought I would need to bring this old barn back to life.

As always, I put a transparent stain on the canvas to knock off the glare of the white linen. Then roughly blocked in the main shapes and a few shadows.

Blocked in the main colors. But decided the windows were too high, the roofline too short and the value of the shadow under the peak too dark. Made a few adjustments, added the underbrush and scruff, along with a few trees and, ... Voila! 

 

 

Here is the final product, still wet and awaiting the perfect frame. Happily it already has a new owner. The family that raised horses in this barn many, many years ago will display this painting in their home to remind them of the wonderful memories made here. My heart is warmed to have played a small role in creating joy while creating art.

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Red sky at morning, sailors take warning...

 

A photo of the Maury County courthouse this morning. The current solor storm is creating awesome sunrises and sunsets. I feel blessed.

Now if we could only see the Aurora Borealis from Tennessee....

 

 

** Thank you to Kathie Fuston for the use of her beautiful photo!**

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Inspiration

Yesterday started of cold as mischief, but midday the sun came out, and the temps rose, and it was one of those winter's days that lets you know spring is coming. I decided to take advantage of the bright light and snap a few shots of middle Tennessee glory to paint for an upcoming art show. If I had had enough time, I would have brought my eisel along, too.

This little fella kept me company. What a beauty! I may have to paint him, too.

I found this old barn where the highway splits going to Hampshire and Williamsport.

A gentleman greeted me while taking these photos. He told me there is an old, abandoned house about 200 feet away, but completely taken over by the scruff. It's a shame I couldn't get a good shot of it, too. I love history and architecture and uncovering relics from a different era that still stand amid the contemporary buildings and roads.

Most people don't know this, but there are "slave quarters" in downtown Columbia, behind the building that used to be the livery stable. As much as we like to pretend that was not a part of our past, it was, and it's a piece that should not be forgotten.

There is also an abandoned men's boarding house, where men would room while working or going to school in town. Transportation was so primitive many men couldn't commute back to the family farm, and would rent a room. I may have to run down there today and snap a few shots.

Now if only the sun would shine again today...

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Painting with Frank

Being an artist, I love to take workshops from other artists.

Everyone develops a key ingredient or secret to their success and luckily, are happy to share. Such was the case while painting this plein air piece today at Rippavilla with Frank Baggett.

A very talented plein air artist, Frank taught me the importance of these things: portrait pink, unbleached white, kitten whisker highlighter brush, and scrumbling.

Frank and I met in August when our displays were next to each other at the Maury Regional Art Effects show in Columbia, TN.  Frank is from Waverly and I introduced him to The Chestnut Group, a bunch of plein air painters who meet to paint vanishing landscapes in Middle Tennessee. A portion of funds earned from the sale of artwork, inspired by the region’s scenic richness, is made available to organizations that share a common vision: To preserve fragile local environments and historic properties – from threatened habitats and farmland to protected natural areas.

Frank's plein air and wildlife work was a perfect fit!

I can't wait to get back out there next weekend and paint some more!

Ladies' Soldiers Friend Society at Cragfont

 
Historic Cragfont hosted the Ladies’ Soldiers Friends Society Civil War Era re-enactment Oct. 1-2. My friend Beth participated... wore period attire, slept in a tent, and cooked meals over fire to depict life in the mid-1800s.

The society, a 40-person, nonprofit group with members from Tennessee and other states, make period items, support cemetery tours and fundraise for historic preservation projects. Beth is extremely talented, making quilts and handmade tatted lace.

Beth and other participants came to Cragfont, built in the mid-1700s, as part of their Ladies Day weekend they hold every other year. The weather was gorgeous this weekend, though nippy. Highs were in the 60*s and overnight temperatures dipped in to the 30*s. We had frost on the rooftops this morning.  I haven't spoken to Beth yet, but she's shared her pictures.

This is a hobby I have not embraced yet. As much as I love history, I also love central heat and air!

 
 
 
 
 
 
(Photos courtesy Beth Sims)