Moss Rock The moss on the rocks in the early morning sun is stunning. This watercolor was an attempt to capture the contrast of the brilliant warm colors of the moss in the foreground and the soft cool colors of the fog lifting in the background. This was painted from a scene along the nature trail at the Cosby Campground in the Great Smokies National Park.
Introduction This young girl came to my farm with her parents one Sunday and wanted to see the new calf that was lying with her mother in the field. Her parents told her she would get her good shoes dirty so she kicked them off and ran to the fence. The mother cow nudged the calf up and walked her over to the young and seemingly introduced them. It was wonderful.
Cobbly Creek The intersection of Hwy. 73 and the road to Cades Cove form a "Y" where this swimming hole is a favorite of visitors and locals alike. Here Little River, which runs through the Park, captures the filtered sun light and the shadows of unseen trees just before it begins another dance through the rocks.
Fleeting Spring (Series: Spatter Paintings)
This is one of the few spatter paintings I have done that I have liked. It took me about 50 trys before I got what I wanted. Fleeting Springs tells the story of how exciting and colorful spring is just before the wind takes it away.
Abstract Pansies Abstract Pansies is one of my few spatter paintings. It is painted by dropping wet paint on very wet paper to produce a feeling more than literal record of the flowers. This was painted fast and spontaneously in order to capture the freshness of the flowers. While it is not obvious, this type painting is quite time consuming because of the planning required and rejection rate. This one really captures the feeling of fresh flowers in the early spring. You can almost feel the bumble bees and flittering around.
Deep Forest Sometimes I like to hike a bit off trail to get deep into the forest away from the noise of other hikers. There I can sit and think about things that just wonder through my mind. It is very relaxing and sort of exhilarating at the same time. This watercolor was started in such a setting about a half mile off the Appalachian Trail near the Cosby Campground area. I have been hiking these forests for many years and know most of the pitfalls, but I don't advise hiking off trail to novices, as it can be dangerous to both you and to the forest.
First Creek (Series: Along Trillium Gap Trail)
How could one of the most beautiful streams in the Smokies not have a name to match? (I could find none listed for this little gem in any guidebook or map.) Seemingly flowing right from the rocks and trees that surround it, The First Creek became known to the llamas and me as the first water for eight miles. Perhaps you will come up with a name of your own.
Still of Winter This is a typical farm scene in the winter arount the smoky mountains. I painted it from a photograph that I liked.
Snow Ridge I painted this picture of the hill on my farm on the first snow in the winter of 2004.
Grotto Falls (Series: Along Trillium Gap Trail)
In the spring of 2002 I volunteered to train young pack lamas to make a 16-mile hike to and from Mountain LeConte, the highest point in the Smokies. We made the hike three days a week taking supplies to the mountain top lodge . We would hike up early in the morning and return in the evening. I was always struck by the vivid green moss around the falls that glowed with the morning sun. The trail goes under the falls and I had fun watching the expression on other hikers faces as I emerged from under the falls with lamas in tow. Grotto Falls is the painting that encouraged me to do a series of paintings along the five trails to LeConte. Grotto Falls is about 1.5 miles from the Trillium Gap trail head.
