Wilmington: The other end of I-40

Five years ago, we packed up our Plymouth Voyager and set off on a great adventure. We were moving from Southern California to Asheville, North Carolina. As we got on interstate 40, in Barstow, CA, there was a sign that read "2,554 mi to Wilmington, NC."

Well, to celebrate 5 years in Asheville, and a couple of other big milestones we took a family vacation to Cape Fear - to the other end of "the forty".

A good time was had by all. We visited the USS North Carolina, went to the Aquarium, the Cotton Exchange, and treated ourselves to leisurely afternoons at the beach.

From my sketchbook - a drawing of the fisherman's wharf at Carolina Beach.

We stayed on the north end of Pleasure Island, (Carolina Beach). You can expect to see some paintings of boats, harbors and the island in the near future.

Paint-out at Pinchot Forest

The paint-out at Pinchot Forest was a fabulous success! Thanks to Wesley Greene, the event coordinating team, the 12 artists from the Western North Carolina Plein Air Painters group, and all the folks who dropped by the event!

I set up my easel under a large shade tree with a southern view of the Meadow and Mills Gap. Here are four pictures of the painting in progress. (12 x 24, acrylic on canvas.)

Scott Boyle gives an impromptu demonstration. It's always inspiring to see another artist at work.

Two of my paintings on display in the gallery:

Paint-out at Pinchot Forest - Saturday, July 17, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Paint-out at Pinchot Forest, Saturday, July 17, 11:00 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

I will be painting on location at Pinchot Forest along with a number of other artists from the Western North Carolina Plein Air Painters group in conjunction with an exclusive event.

There will also be four finished landscape paintings from the property on display in the sales office.

Pinchot Forest is a gated development in South Asheville that has enjoys a number of amazing views. The grounds consist of nearly 70 acres, situated on the southern spur of Busbee Mountain.

You are invited to drop by, see some paintings in progress, explore Pinchot Forest and witness the breathtaking views!

At this time, roads and improvements have been put in, but no structures have been built yet (meaning unrestricted access to views!)

Pinchot Forest is located at Mills Gap and Pinners Cove, about a mile from Hendersonville Road.

Directions:

From Hendersonville Road, Turn onto Mills Gap

Go one mile and turn left at Pinners Cove

Entrance to Pinchot Forest is on your left

http://pinchotforest.com

Did I mention the views?

Hope to see you there!

Brennen McElhaney

P.S. Praying for good weather (no rain).

Advice for artists

For some time, I've been collecting words of advice for artists. Actually, truth be told, this is advice for me. This is a list work in progress, but here's what I have so far:

Sketch every day

Paint every day

Trust your eyes

Look at masters' works

Look at contemporary masters' works

Keep work on public display

Have the mind of a student (be open)

Have the heart of a teacher (be generous)

Be confident

Be committed to your work

Ask yourself, "What is important?"

Experiment

Streamline your studio

Work in good light

Work from life

Be humble

Be passionate

Sleep well, Eat well, Exercise regularly

Make goals

Penguins from the Falklands

I've been doing a lot of artwork for various travel destinations. Recently, I was assigned to do some illustrations for the Falkland Islands featuring, among other things, drawings of king penguins, rendered as though they were from a naturalist's sketchbook.

Penguins are wonderfully quirky, beautifully colored, chaps that are always dressed up for the occasion. Very fun to draw. Also, it's a bonus for me to learn about the geography, history, and culture of various locations.

South Asheville Vista - New Painting

Recently finished painting from Pinchot Forest: "South Asheville Vista." Acrylic on gessoed paper, 8.5 x 13 inches.

Santa Barbara Courthouse Double-Take

When I saw it I did a double take.

On the web I had found a painting of the Santa Barbara Courthouse that looked very much like one I had done. But it wasn't mine.

The similarities are remarkable. The compositions of each painting are almost identical -images have not been cropped. (The image on the right is mine, the one on the left was painted by Santa Barbara artist Dorothy Nalls.)

As it turns out, Dorothy, my artist counterpart, and I have never met face to face. However our canvases show that we've crossed paths more than once in our searches for subjects to paint.

Dorothy Nalls is a plein air painter, specializing in Santa Barbara landscapes and seascapes.

Visit her on-line portfolio at http://www.dorothynalls.com/