“French Broad Lean”, 9 X 12” oil on panel
“The Island” 12 X 12”, oil, framed
Gallery Opening! This Friday evening 5/19 from 6 -9 pm:
Saluda Studios
144 Hwy. 176
Saluda, NC 28773
Hope you'll join the Preserving A Picturesque America people to celebrate the Grand Opening of Saluda Studios! I'll have four paintings available, including "French Broad Lean" and "The Island", framed oils. It will be swell!
THANK YOU to the collector from Earlysville, VA for your purchase of these two prints. I love that people still have nostalgia for the way things used to be. For additional work, please look under “Landscapes” when you visit: https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/catherine-twomey?
The international gallery, Singulart, has named my work “Maple Ridge Craggy Gardens” to their Fall Harvest Collection! This piece is in oil on an archival panel, and is professionally framed and ready to hang. For additional information, please visit:
I visit these lily pads about once a week. Every time I pass by I have to stop and wish them well. I was so struck by this single white lily, glorious in its simplicity and contrasted by the brilliant greens of the surrounding pads.
Imagine the height of the summer. The crickets are rubbing their wings together, providing a chorus to your wanderings through steep hills and low ponds. This grouping made me pause - I saw the varied personalities of each lily pad, highlighted by the one bright white blossom. The copper undersides of the pads were in striking contrast to the cool greens. I now understand what Monet was drawn to; these were incredibly beautiful and evocative.
Fall is approaching and I'm certain these will hibernate soon enough, but they'll hold me through the winter.
This painting is on gallery wrapped canvas with a 1.5" painted border and is wired and ready to hang.
Available here: https://www.catherinetwomey.com/available
WIP Work In Progress, White Lilly on the Biltmore Estate's bass pond. What a challenge it is to work larger, but I'm learning a great deal at 22 X 28". So interesting how each pad has its own look and personality. If you're ever in Asheville (let's hope all this pandemic stuff is done sooner rather then later) call me; I'll show you where it is.
This oil study was done en plein air at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The Biltmore is an immense mass of land, on which sits the largest private home in America.
To get to the site, I hiked down through an azalea grove to this lovely pond. There weren't many people around, so I had a lot of welcome privacy. This bright white lily drew my eye to it immediately. Positioned against the lily fronds, it reached to the sky in strong contrast to the greens and blues surrounding it.
Buddhists regard the water lily as a symbol of enlightenment because of the beautiful bloom that emerges from the mud. They also consider the water lily a symbol of purity, spontaneous generation and divine birth.
To bid, click Here!
When I moved to Asheville, North Carolina, in 2016, I had no idea what was going to come up in the spring garden. As a nature-loving gardener, however, I knew the long-neglected property needed a lot of tender loving care to be brought back to life. I nurtured a small, scraggly dogwood in the front yard - and it thrived. I've been working on my oil painting, aiming for more translucency and texture. I've been painting abstracts for a while, but for some strange reason I only want to paint realistically now - just the facts, Jack. Boy what a difference the correct brushes make! This "Dogwood Herd" is 6 X 6" and custom framed, on archival board. These dogwood blossoms were right from the home-grown garden and posed very patiently. Neither of us had anywhere else to go - pandemic and all - so we spent several days exchanging oxygen and contemplating the current state of affairs. This painting is beautifully custom framed in a greenish-green patina. It is ready to hang.
Available:
Acrylic, 12 X 16” on archival oil paper.
I spent a day painting this gorgeous pool on Anna Marie Island, Florida. It was too windy for the beach, so somehow I became engrossed with the water and shapes of the pool. It was mysteriously surrounded by plantings many of which were in the shade. It was quiet and mesmerizing to watch the waves and colors change.
20 X 20”, mounted on archival board ready for framing. Raw canvas.
I hiked the Catawba Falls Trail east of Asheville, trekking through a mossy, shady forest valley to a beautiful series of waterfalls on the Catawba River.
The headwaters of the Catawba River are beautifully scenic. Just east of Asheville, the river tumbles through a rolling forest, cascading in a series of waterfalls and flowing over a mossy riverbed set in a shady, scenic stretch of the Pisgah National Forest. I explored waterfall after waterfall in a sun-dappled valley, hiking just over two miles through a shady forest to the seeping wall of vibrant green moss and tendrils of water known as Catawba Falls.
Work In Progress, “Max Patch Hedonism”, 22 X 28” acrylic pours, metallics and hand painting.
Hike a section of the famous Appalachian National Scenic Trail (or A.T.) on top of Max Patch Mountain near Hot Springs. This 4,600-ft. bald mountain was cleared and used as pasture in the 1800s. Today, it's a 350-acre tract of open land on a high knob with 360-degree views. It's one of the most spectacular settings you'll experience in the Blue Ridge.
Many of my favorite pieces were sold over the weekend at the Open Studio Tour - thank you to the delightful collectors and all of the supportive, funny, interesting and happy people that came by! I hope these pieces brighten your world.
For available originals, please select this link: HERE
12 X 16” acrylic on canvas board. Available.
This plein air painting was a joy to do. I set up early and within an hour was surrounded by friendly people from Indiana, Quebec, Minnesota…..I loved the angles of the beach, waves and dunes here, so that is what I focused on. I’ll be able to shoot this with better lighting when I get home next week - this is a bit pink.
12X16”, acrylic on canvas board
Cannot complain about a day spent wandering around this ancient town, then finding this extraordinary doorway. Oh the secrets it could tell! The striking blue, oranges, yellows and whitewashed wall were wonderfully complaint as I painted away. St. Augustine was founded in 1565, and apparently there are a lot of mysteries around town.
12 X 20”, acrylic on archival canvas.
One of the most intriguing things about St. Augustine is its history. Throughout the city there are ancient, original doors guarding homes, gardens, courtyards and businesses. I wonder - how long have these beautiful doors been guarding this courtyard? 300 years? More?
12X12”, acrylic on canvas board.
Thank you very much to the collector from Tallahasse! This plein air painting was recently completed at one of my favorite spots along the gulf. The shade spots disappeared as the morning went on, so I painted the early and reflexively. So many wonderful people stopped by to say hello and offer to pose! There are a lot of nice people in the world.
“Two Boats, Bridge Street”, 12X12”, mixed media, work in progress
This is a work in progress; I still want to abstract the background a lot more. Painting here was interesting - there’s the Bridge Street Inn Bar right around the corner, so some rather happy patrons stopped by to talk as I painted. It’s a lovely spot as the pelicans dived around me and boats moved in and out of the harbor.
When I set up this morning it was the shadows and contrast that intrigued me. I’ve painted enough palms in the last few weeks to finally have the hang of their shapes and fronds. That’s the Gulf of Mexico beyond the old pier, where it’s too dangerous to swim due to the riptides. 12X12” on archival board.
Recently finished this piece looking down towards Asheville from the eastern mountains. A stunning evening as the lights popped out. 12X16’ on Canson canvas board.
There’s something strangely satisfying about starting a painting with a graduated tint. This is going to be the Blue Ridge Mountains as night descends on Asheville. It’s 12X16” on Canson board.
I am so grateful to the collector of this work from my Manifesto Series, entitled “"Manifesto 5.0: The Gulf, Sarasota" which is going to a new home in California. To view additional original art, please visit:
https://www.catherinetwomey.com/new-products-3/
and to purchase prints, visit:
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/catherine-twomey.html
Happy Holidays to all.