July days

I've always kinda liked the above scene, which I painted almost a year ago. The location is nearby and I was planning to paint it again this year, while the same plants were blooming. But I drove by the other day and saw that all the plants had been completely removed(!)  I suppose the owner got tired of the walkway being blocked by the plants. Didn't they know the overgrown yard was what made it artistically interesting!  Acting in sympathy to any potential artists driving by, I've let my own front lawn stay a bit ragged and unkept for a while, before I cut it. (that's my lazy excuse anyway). 

Am busy this week painting a large commission piece of a large old southern house, with kids playing in the front yard........almost done...... and hopefully will get that posted shortly.

...here's a few upcoming events that come to mind....I'll tell you more details as they become available...

8/5......Marietta Artwalk....i'll be painting at the Marietta square and will have a small display of paintings nearby

9/2......Marietta Artwalk......i'll be giving a formal demo at the Cobb/Marietta Museum of Art, plus a display of recent plein air paintings

9/12 and 9/24 .....my studio and plein air classes begin

9/17......Gainesville, GA.....annual Art on the Square.......10am-5pm ....I plan to have a booth again this year ....please come by and visit.!....this is a real fun and relaxing event , on the historic Gainesville Square.

9/28-10/1......3rd annual Great Chattahoochee River Plein Air Paint Out...(Roswell, GA)...This year they moved it from August to late September....what a relief from the heat!.......I'll be painting/competing with 50 or so top local painters......

Fare well,

John

A week in Cashiers, NC

I painted 'Summer Evening' during my trip to Cashiers NC last week.  There was a light rain falling at the time, and it sure was a relief from the hot weather the previous few days.  This is a very beauiful area, and right now, almost every roadside and forest area is covered with large flowering mountain laurels. Quite a sight.  I've included some photos, which I hope to use as references for some studio paintings.   I had a great week and was happy to sell five of my pieces painted during the week.

I sold a painting i did of this view, and didnt get a chance to photograph the painting, so I went back later and took this photo, hoping to paint it again at home. There was brighter sun and puffy clouds around when i painted it; here it's a bit overcast and not as colorful.

a couple local waterfalls, only about 5 minutes from town......Silver Run Falls,and   Slippery Rock Falls......as you could guess , Slippery Rock is essentially a natural waterslide........looked like fun...
Thanks for checking out my blog.  So long for now!

Piedmont Park

A view of midtown Atlanta from Piedmont Park, painted on a visit there a few months ago.

Am getting ready for a visit to beautiful Cashiers, NC,  this coming week to join six other outstanding plein air artists for the biennial Cashiers Garden Tour and Art Show. We'll be painting around the village and local mountains, and also in the designated tour gardens; then we'll be exhibiting our work at a couple VIP receptions towards the end of the week.  A tough life, being an artist.......!
Hope you're having a wonderful summer.
John