Bethlehem Blooms by BJ Wright

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 26th (completed at 10:30am)...$35 including shipping...Bethlehem Gardens in Varnell, GA, is 7 acres of growing things, lovingly planted by the hand of Ms. Ruby. She cares for her gardens and 39 cats (yes, 39) with the thought that all living things are by the hand of God. She graciously invited us to paint among the potted plants and flowing fountains. And after about two hours, she surprised us with freshly sliced cold watermelon. Ms. Ruby is a Southern lady indeed.

musing...reflecting...pondering...bowling

Painting en plein air is like bowling...there are hundreds of things to think about (all at the same time). In bowling, the object is to knock down all the pins. In painting, the object is to ---- well, there's the kick. Does the artist render the painting as an identical twin of the object being painted? The artist may chose to do that, but there are hundreds, thousands, millions of other possibilities. Changing the background, the foreground, the colors, the shapes, adding or omitting items, moving things around a bit (or a lot) - there's just so much to consider when doing a painting.

There are also choices of subject. Do I paint the whole world? Or just one little corner? Or just one flower? Where do I set up my easel? Where do I stand? Or do I sit? Or perhaps crouch to get that perfect perspective?

Did I remember to consider the sun's movement across the sky when I chose the subject and easel placement? How will the subject remain lit as I paint? Or will the tree shadow encroach too soon? Will my canvas/palette be well lit but still in shadow during the painting process? And if not, where did I put my painting umbrella? (There is broken sun/shade falling across the canvas in this photo...which made painting more difficult.)

Choices --- every artist makes hundreds during the creation of a single painting. A photograph captures just what the lens sees - no more, no less. A painting is filtered through the eyes and mind of the artist, which makes each original painting a unique piece of artwork.

And original art makes a unique gift. Christmas is coming (again) this year.

A Song Singing by BJ Wright

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 25th (completed at 10:00am)...$85 including shipping...Falling water has such a soothing sound, like a continuous and never ending song. We painted at Prater's Mill, near Varnell (GA) this morning. I've never seen this water blue, even under the bluest sky. The uneven dam allows the flowing water to make unusual waterfalls.

Namesake by BJ Wright

6"x6"x1 1/4" oil on gallery wrap canvas, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 18th (completed at 10:30am)...$50 including shipping....The historic tunnel that gave Tunnel Hill (GA) its name is a breathtaking monument to the determination of the human spirit. There will be a two day paintout here during the annual "Battle of Tunnel Hill" Civil War reenactment on September 19th & 20th.

A Path Early by BJ Wright

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 13th (completed at 11:00am)...$95 including shipping....This was painted at the historic Varnell House, built in 1847, in Varnell, GA. For awhile it served as Federal headquarters during the Civil War and was struck by "minnie balls" during several skirmishes in the area. As I stood at my easel on the old path leading up to the house, I could imagine the history taking place here over 150 years ago.

Like We Did Last Year by BJ Wright

7"x5" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 11th (completed at 11:00am)...$35 including shipping...The trellis has been there, sitting as it is, for years. It has been taken down, straightened, and repositioned. Yet it still leans. It is its habit to lean.

Libby Sunsets # 131 & 132

Both 8x10 - The last 45 minutes - en Plein Air on 8/9/09 from Libby Terrace , with the James below

From Ancestral Places by BJ Wright

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 1st during the annual "Cherokee Days of Recognition" at Red Clay State Park near Cleveland, TN.... $85 including shipping....

Cherokee Garden by BJ Wright

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 1st while early fog obscured the mountain and nearby meadow. This small garden is part of the replica Cherokee village at Red Clay State Park near Cleveland, TN. Its vegetables are the "three sisters" - corn, beans and squash. Sunflowers were an added treasure. Purchase this original painting for $85 including shipping.

Let the Sun Shine by BJ Wright

10"x8" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on August 1st (completed at 10:25am)...$85 including shipping...This was the second plein air of the day at the "Cherokee Days of Recognition" held at Red Clay State Park near Clevenland, TN. This sunflower stood in a small garden near the replica settlement.

Libby Sunsets # 124 & 125

Last night I started painting 8x10 panels en Plein Air sunsets from Richmond's Libby Terrace. The sun seems to move slower at sunset, or at least you get more time.....this is totally about the interaction of the sun and clouds and the atmospheric condition caused by it.

three at Red Clay

I painted at Red Clay State (TN) Park today during the annual "Cherokee Days of Recognition". These were shot in (bad) indoor lighting, but at least you can see that three paintings made their way home with me. I'll get better images and post them soon with the accompanying explanations/stories/thoughts.

Finding the Way Through by BJ Wright

8"x10" oil on RayMar panel, painted en plein air, alla prima, on July 28th (completed at 1:20pm as lightning started flashing)....$95 including shipping...I recall a science teacher once saying that water finds the path of least resistance, not unlike some of us. We had started painting around 8:30am at Barnsley Gardens near Adairsville, GA, when the sun was perfectly seeking out corners in the ruins. As we ate lunch, the clouds began to bank and we knew we wouldn't have much time before the rains came. Being overcast, the colors were muted and subtle, yet still wondrous.

Rauke Sunday # 118

A nice Sunday on the Bay, 8x10 en plein air......windy, good for sailing, not so good for painting!

15 Minute Sunrise 115 & 116

I decided to paint en Plein Air this morning...sooo......my favorite subject, the sun. We had dew with mist and no clouds. I did (2) 8x10 panels within a 20 minute period. The second panel was something I've seen before, but never was able to get, a misty creamy pastel with a pale yellow sun, no orange (mine has a little). This time I was able to get reasonable photos with my new UV lens. I'll use the photos with the study for a larger painting, I'll do today.

Plein air painting while fresh on the trail of Ben Long's frescoes...

Tami, Liv, and I are enjoying a week in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. The weather has been clear and cool... almost an enigma for July in the south. Between hiking, horseback riding, plein air painting, picnicking, and just relaxing... the three of us have manged to visit three of the Ben Long fresco locations on the Fresco Trail.

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Stop #1... St Mary's Church, West Jefferson, NC

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This is one of my favorite spots on the trail... I have painted this small church on several occasions. Last Monday, Tami dropped me off to plein air paint while she and Liv went to the newly remodeled library in West Jefferson.

I found a nice shady spot under a huge Linden tree... 2 1/2 hours of peaceful recollections of my sister, Kristi, and savoring the beauty of this sacred spot.

Finished painting... "St Mary's"... 8x10" Oil on panel by Bernie Rosage Jr, en plein aire, July 20, 2009.

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Stop #2... Holy Trinity Church, Glendale Springs, NC

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We have been going to Glendale Springs for years to visit George Bell's Greenhouse Crafts Shop... our favorite shop in the Blue Ridge. Our journey there would not be complete without a trip across the street to Holy Trinity and the frescoes there. I have painted this small church as well.

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Stop #3... The City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium (CoMMA), Morganton, NC

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We had a cool visit with my cousin Pam (Aunt Pammie) who lives in Morganton. She took us on a tour of the town... what a beautiful town too. The highlight of our tour was the The City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium.. (CoMMA) for short. The crowning jewel of the CoMMA was the ceiling fresco by Ben Long titled... "Sacred Dance & The Muses". We actually sat on recliners on a revolving floor to view the awesome work... how cool is that! You can see Liv enjoying the fresco in this photo.

Liv, Pam, and Tami enjoying the comfort and the artwork.

Ben Long even included a self portrait in this work showing his exhaustion from his labors.

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These wonderful works and experiences only prove my theory that every artist and art patron already knows... There is nothing like viewing art in person!

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Thanks for listening to me ramble... feel free to comment...

Bernie

www.bernierosage.com

Red Earth by BJ Wright

4"x6" oil on sanded panel, painted on July 14th around 10:00am ... Just before time to pack up after a morning of painting, I picked up this little sanded panel and put down some paint. The rough surface slurped up the paint and I could feel it wearing down my brush. It's an interesting surface...don't know if I'll use it again...but interesting.

The trees were glowing as the sun raced across the sky. Paint quick, quick, quick.

15 Minute Sunrise #103

I think our blog needs some sun shine...12x12 oil, Still using black.....I found something interesting...black (not a mix) is very important to landscape painting, especially when you want to nail the actual green and blue colours.....

Southern Moon with following star # 105 &106

The third and last moon study (bottom) This is my favorite, painted en Plein Air @ 1:30 AM on 7/10/09. I started with clouds and adjusted as it cleared, because of something I saw, I followed this up with a small studio painting later the same morning (top). I used the study and a fresh memory as my guide. The finale, for lessons learned during this moon phase.

I didn't know it at the time, this would be the beginning of a major pivotal point. Plein Air served its purpose well, by heightening my observation skills, I'm sure I'll continue to do it, but only as a discovery tool. I found it indispensable, learning how to paint details, such as fast moving rapids, the sun and finally the moon. As I make new discoveries I'll be sure to post! I'll also check daily and see what everyone is doing :=)

Southern Moon # 102

The second study on the morning of 7/9/09 @ 1:00 AM - clear skies, moon in a Southern location. This was the first time I noticed the following star, I didn't include the star in my 12x12 study. The first study, my moon had a thin cloud veil so the normal halo was only a soft glow. I use Ivory black with all colours in my normal palette. The object of the studies, to learn about nocturnal colouring.