Early fall view of the famous Barboursville Vineyards in Barboursville, VA. Rows of ripe vines flow into the Blue Ridge mountains. This was a plein air painting that took a couple of tries to get it where I liked it. Now featured on the inside and back cover of "Wine & Country Weddings" magazine by Ivy Publications.
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Purchase this painting here: https://www.catherinetwomey.com/available/monumental-oak
When I hike up a trail approaching a bare area (bald) or rounded hill, I get such an expansive, peaceful feeling. Near my home is the Biltmore Estate which has grounds manicured back in the day (early 1900's) by the famous Frederick Olmsted. I go there often to hike and am often struck by these 100+ year old oaks at the top of the balds. They're so large their branches often hit the ground as they loom over me!
In this painting I was thinking about the cools and warms. This magnificent specimen was just getting a hint of autumn colors. The right side has a variety of purplish and blue/green colors. I was drawn to the brilliant warmth of the trunk as it was hit by the setting sun. Rather than paint in individual leaves, I massed the shapes to suggest their beauty but focused on the patterns of warmth playing against the cools throughout the painting.
This original oil is on stretched canvas with a poplar wood frame. It has painted edges of 1.5".
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
“Azaleas Late Spring” and other fantastic items will be offered at the Vesalius Trust Auction beginning Sept. 16! Preview items here and mark your calendars:
https://vesaliustrust.org/upcoming-events/online-silent-auction/
22 X 28” gallery wrapped canvas, “Bass Pond White Lily”
Almost finished, Bass Pond White Lily, 22 x 28” oil on stretched canvas. Learned a LOT from working larger. Hard to go wrong with a scene this beautiful.
Sold these four DaVinci Horse prints from my new etsy shop today - thank you so much to the collector from Kentucky! Much appreciated! These prints include the piaffe, walk, trot and canter. They were researched extensively and have won numerous awards for their aesthetics as well as accuracy.
My new etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/catherinetwomeyart?ref=search_shop_redirect
We have had more than 9 inches of rain this year above and beyond the average. The almost daily thunderstorms have poured tremendous volumes of water into our lakes and streams, including this lake below my house. The runoff is so great the typically blue/green water turns all shades of browns, reds, yellows and gold. Of course, the vegetation is growing feet by the second. It's white ball hydrangea time of year. The large popcorn-appearing balls are so beautiful and refreshing against the water. That dam in the foreground is almost a hundred years old, and of course with all the rain it's rather worrisome. So much water running over the side, what kind of pressure is that old concrete under? I painted this outdoors and reveled in the sounds and sights of the water and flowers. So glad I had bug spray on, as much as I dislike it! And of course, sunscreen. This oil in painted on archival canvas and is 11 X 14". It is unframed and ready to complement your indoor decor.
My new garden has brought a wealth of unique and beautiful plants. The gladiolus did not perform for three years, but the wait was so worth it. This year, the second I saw these white glads, I had to paint them. I tended to them and, knowing I'd only have a few days to paint them before they faded. What greater challenge than to place them against a white board to capture the shadows and highlights? This spring, while COVID reigns, it's been rainy and quite hot. The gladiolus are now six feet tall and stretch to the sun! Most glorious of all, however, was the flowers. At the height of their glory, they reached to the sun on a lovely spring morning as I moved to not overdo them, but capture their life and brilliance using color, value and marks. Their spontaneity was a challenge, but well worth the wait. This is an oil painting that is painted on archival, Ray Mar art board. It is 8 X 16" - perfect for that unique area in your home or office that begs for new life.
"Gladiolus After The Storm" - well these flowers are 6' high this year because we've had very regular storms and lots of heat. I caught these early in the morning as the eastern sun just peaked up the side of Beaucatcher Mountain (I know, right? Gotta catch your Beau...). The blossoms were so heavy some collapsed, but I've just ordered some bamboo poles to prop them up. Always somethin'! 12 X 12", oil on canvas.
Thank you so much to the Charlottesville, VA collection of "Blue Ridge Sheep" 20 X 30" oil on canvas. So happy to be connecting with people during these stressful times. For more information on prints of this image: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/blue-ridge-blue-skyline-sheep-cloud-catherine-twomey.html
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.
Thanks so much to the collector of this original art! It was a painting done with appreciation for the history and lovely blue shades against the red. Hope you enjoy it in Munich, Germany!
Oil, 13 X 13” framed in custom frame, original by Catherine Twomey.
Bid HERE
With this second portrait of a tulip I was aiming for luminosity and translucence. This tulip positively glowed! 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. A small pod of tulips were in the front yard, but yielded no flowers that spring. The second year I amended the soil and was rewarded with one lonely flower. This year, however, there are a grand total of three - each with their own beauty and personality. There's a lot to be said for spending days getting to know a particular flower.I adored setting up the light and angle of the buds and petals so they caught the light just so. The layers gradually built and as I worked, I was able to achieve that translucency and brilliance that tulips have. This painting is beautifully custom framed in a greenish-green patina.
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20 X 20” Oil on canvas.
"Homegrown Peonies" Commission completed! 20 X 20" oil on canvas. These were my mother's favorite colors! It's humid here in Asheville today so this may take some time to dry, but it will be on it's way soon enough. I'm thinking a large painting of one of every flower in my garden may be up next.
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.
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20 X 20”, oil on canvas, homegrown peonies
Working on this commission, I selected a couple of homegrown burgundy peonies from my garden. They are willingly posing for their posterity. The energy of the petals is simply wonderful.
So thrilled that Jackie Bovard Horewitz loves the large print of my oil, "Dogwood Herd" for her lovely living room! Made my day to add the finishing touch to her redecorating. If you're interested in prints, just send me a DM and I can help you out. Thanks Jackie! XOXOXOXO
The small original oil painting can be purchased here: https://www.catherinetwomey.com/available