Advance Mills Hay Bales 1: Auction!!!

Advance Mills Hay Bales

Auction listed at: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/200537

Advance Mills was an old mill town about two miles from my home. The road, Advance Mills, is one of my favorites - twisty, turny, on a ridge - the views along it are so spectacular you really have to focus to stay on it. 

We looked at buying some of this land, so I spent a lot of time walking it and loved catching it at sunset. You can see why. I had to work fast, as that shadow in the background rapidly crept over the sun spots. The woods behind were already dripped in shadow, with sky holes poking thru. What a glorious day.

This original oil on archival linen board is 6" X 8" and is unframed.

The painting would look like this if framed:

Huckstep's Garage Store: Auction!

Auction listed at: http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/199713

This iconic now defunct store and garage located in Free Union, VA represents a disappearing time and place. I've driven by this place 100 times and it's never tiring to look at.

The garage/store is still in Free Union and has recently been sold. The local hope is that it will be restored, to thrive as a new business with it's history intact.

I imagined filled rocking chairs on the porch, neighbors throwing hello's, original Fords filling up.
This original oil on archival linen board is 7" X 5", and is unframed.

This painting would look like this if framed:

Rural Landscape With Plantation Barn 1 Auction

Bleak House Plantation Barn 1

Auction listed at htt1http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/198951

The first in a barn series at the Bleak House Plantation in Earlysville, VA, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. At this nitial painting stage, I'm there to understand the correct structure, lighting and "mood" of the building. This barn has it all. It's imposing, to be sure, and as the sun was slowly heading down, the barn's history ebbed forth. 

I'm often at heightened state of, well - anxiety - at this stage. There is only so much time to get things painted correctly, and especially settle on the shadow's shapes. If you can imagine, what's calming are the barn sparrows and doves quietly having a conversation while an intruder (that would be me!) makes strange stroking motions on an easel and board.

This barn was built in the 1700's, when slaves worked the plantation's wheat, tobacco, corn and livestock.A dream-like glow seems to infuse the barn, much like the way I view the plantation.

This original oil on archival linen board is 7" X 5", and is unframed.

This painting would look like this if framed:

Red Barn Star

The painting below was just added to my gallery at Daily Paintworks.

Red Star Barn

As a new member, I'm beginning to build my gallery there and have added this image to it. In addition, I'm offering auctions of original fine art, two of which are live now:

Bleak House Plantation Barn 3

Sedona Day's End

Hope you have a moment to visit and bid!

Sedona Day's End Oil Painting Auction

Sedona Day's End

To view Sedona Day's End Auction (starts on 2/4/14) click below:

http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/197485

As the sun climbed down thru the sky, I was on a bluff painting en plein air (live) as quickly as I could. This was my first trip in 30 years to Sedona, Arizona, but oh, was I glad to see such a sight. 

The rocks really are that color, the mist hangs over the valley and I only had about an hour or so to get my impressions down. I was surrounded by fellow artists, equally inspired, and we were so focused on nature's brief gift of a spectacular sunset. 

I'm heading back to Sedona in May, and can't wait to relive the other-worldly red rock offerings. 

This original oil on archival linen board is 8" X 10", and is unframed.

This painting would look like this if framed:

Sedona Day's End Sample Framed

Rural Landscape With Plantation Barn Auction

Bleak House Plantation Barn 3

Auction listed at http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/197172

This gorgeous, symmetrical barn is just down Buck Mountain Road in Earlysville, Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was irresistible, it had to be painted; and what I like about this oil is how free the brushstrokes became. The structure became a dreamlike symbol of it's history, and it's history is deep.

The Bleak House Plantation was built in the 1700's and covered hundreds of acres planted in corn, tobacco, wheat and other crops.

This original oil on archival linen board is 7" X 5", and is unframed.

This painting would look like this if framed:

Bleak House Plantation Barn 3, Sample Frame

5 Ways To Identify A Painting For YOUR Taste

There are so many choices of painting styles - when you're in the market, it helps to quickly narrow down what appeals to your individual taste....(continued below)

Bleak House Barn III

Working on a series of the Bleak House Plantation Barn located in Earlysville, VA. What I'm liking very much about this painting is that I'm loosening up. A dream like, luscious quality is infusing the structure - a quality I very much feel when I'm looking at this venerable barn.

This original is available for sale as a 5 X 7" oil on archival linen board. Framed in a gorgeous custom gold and black floating canvas frame. 

Helpful purchasing guidelines:

1. What's your budget? You can purchase original pieces of art - art that will increase in value - for less than $500.

2. When looking at art samples, what draws your eye first? This includes identifying that eye-grabbing trait: A color or colors? Subject matter, pattern, abstraction? The stroke (or lack of) of the artist's hand?

3. What size? This seems obvious, but are you open to whatever appeals? Or are you trying to fill a big space over the sofa? 

4. Will the artist's work appreciate in value? If this is important to you, take the time to look at their awards, their statement about their work, their Biography. These will tell you if they're in it for a quick fling or have the staying power needed to increase the value of their art.

5. Are you buying from your heart? If so, that magical quality that drew you in is likely to capture others as well. Successful collectors bring their hearts, their instincts AND their minds to the table when making an art-purchasing decision.