Fishing on the Coosa

"Fishing on the Coosa" is an 9 x 12 oil original that can be purchased at this link.

Occasionally, I must resort to using digital photographs to produce my oil paintings. I prefer to paint en plein air, but sometimes our hectic schedule does not allow that luxury. I found this lone fisherman seated on a bench on a pier jutting out in the Coosa River. I have always found fishing to be a relaxing sport and am drawn to scenes such as this.

Hot Dog, Anyone?

This colorful hotdog vendor in Gadsden, Alabama, caught the eyes of my wife Marie and I, while we were visiting the city to do some preliminary research on possible painting sites. This vendor was quite animated and captured our attention for quite a while. She was very helpful to us in preserving her image digitally so that I could produce an oil painting after returning to my studio.

The 12 x 9 oil original can be purchased at this link.

Coosa River Gazebo

Sometimes in our hectic lives today, time does not permit the luxury of plein air painting. Such was the case for this painting. While visiting Gadsden, Alabama, to do research prior to the Southeastern Plein Air Festival, I shot photographs to use in later paintings after returning to my studio.

"Coosa River Gazebo" is an 8 x 10 oil original and can be purchased through Tommy Thompson Art at this link.

Peaceful Interlude

"Peaceful Interlude" is an 11 x 14 inch oil original that I painted while participating in the Southeastern Plein Air Festival, conducted by the Gadsden Museum of Art in Gadsden, Alabama.

I selected the site on the Coosa River for its quiet peacefulness. The only visitors that I saw were occasional fishermen or boaters drifting past. I was drawn to the colors of the natural surroundings and the solitude of the scene. Painting nearby was the talented young Russian painter, Dimitry Proshkin of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Noccalula Falls

I painted the oil original, "Noccalula Falls," while participating in the Southeastern Plein Air Festival conducted by the Gadsden Museum of Art in Gadsden, Alabama. According to a legend, a native Indian tribe lived in the area, and the tribe's chief, Noccalula, had a beautiful daughter. Her father turned down all of her suitors and decided to select a husband for her. Unfortunately, she had her heart set on another brave and begged her father to allow her to marry the true love of her life. When her father denied her petition, she escaped to the falls on the day of her scheduled wedding and took her own life. A statue of the maiden stands guard over the Falls today.

I selected a view of the Falls to paint that is different from that normally selected by most artists. I wanted to show a more unusual perspective of the Falls.

Afternoon Serenity

After a rather treacherous journey over many boulders and slipping over rocks down into a gorge next to Noccalula Falls, I selected a view of the Gorge to paint because of the unusual rock formations and the sounds created by the crashing of the water over boulders.

It is incredible to see what God created here--it seems that an invisible hand placed individual rocks in carefully constructed layers to create a beautiful setting for all to see, to capture on canvas and appreciate. The solitude of the scene is only interrupted by the rhythm of the ripples and crashes of the water falling constantly downstream. An occasional bird entertained me and my wife Marie with its own favorite tune.

I painted this oil original while participating in the Southeastern Plein Air Festival, conducted by the Gadsden Museum of Art in Gadsden, Alabama.