5 Views of Mills River Park

5 Views of Mills River Park

It's fun to compare paintings of the same place that were done under different conditions. Changing weather throughout the day and the various seasons throughout the year can radically alter the mood and character of a scene. Over the years, I've painted at Mills River Park a handful of times. I love the location because of the long range views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Here's a collection of paintings that were all done en plein air, each with its own unique atmosphere—from the early morning mist, to blue skies, to the…Read more
My One Thing

My One Thing

One artist’s journey to become a better version of himself I have a confession to make. My plan to completely redesign and overhaul my daily schedule hit a snag. Let me explain. This past month I planned out my daily schedule and tried to establish it as my regular routine. But I quickly realized that I had bitten off more than I can chew. Planning a comprehensive daily schedule is a fine exercise. But implementing it is quite another story. My model daily schedule is fairly extensive and includes exercise, diet, work schedule,…Read more
Two-Day Art Show

Two-Day Art Show

Two-day art show this Friday and Saturday, August 26 & 27, 2016 from 10am – 5 pm at Broken Road Studio. Broken Road Studio is located in the River Arts District at 115 Roberts St, Asheville, NC (near the roundabout). I'll be painting at the Studio if you'd like to stop by and see works in progress. Broken Road Studio is the working studio and gallery of Philip DeAngelo who is graciously hosting this show.Read more
Botanical Gardens Asheville – Painting en plein air

Botanical Gardens Asheville – Painting en plein air

On location at one of Asheville's most scenic gardens Painting en plein air with an outdoor painting club. Spring is at its peak and outdoor painting season is here. On one Saturday in May, a group of artists from the WNC Plein Air Painters, set up their easels at the Botanical Gardens at Asheville to capture the lush scenery. WNCPAP - Artists and Colleagues Even though painting is essentially a solo endeavor, there is something wonderful about the camaraderie of painting with (or near) fellow artists. It's also fun to see what everyone…Read more
Fireplace Mural

Fireplace Mural

Asheville artist Brennen McElhaney takes on the challenge of painting a soaring fireplace mural. Most of my painting is done on canvas, maybe 16 x 20 inches on average. So, when my client asked if I would consider painting a 14 foot tall fireplace mural, I had to expand my repertoire a bit. Sketches and Mockups Thanks to the digital magic of Photoshop I was able to do preliminary sketches and then superimpose them onto photographs of the fireplace. This was essential to get preliminary approval from my client and to make sure…Read more
Plein Air Paintings (Part 4)

Plein Air Paintings (Part 4)

(This is #4 of a 4 part series.) Craggy Overlook About half way between Asheville and nearby Mount Mitchell (the highest point east of the Mississippi River) the Blue Ridge Parkway passes through the Craggy Mountains. At Milepost 364, I set up my easel and painted the breathtaking overlook to the North. Highland Lake Circa 1910 This painting depicts an old abandoned house in the hills near Franklin, NC. After some discussion with other painters at the paintout, we guessed that the home was built in the early 1900s. Hence the name, "Circa…Read more
Plein Air Paintings (Part 3)

Plein Air Paintings (Part 3)

(This is #3 of a 4 part series.) A Brief History of Plein Air Painting By the mid 1800s, with photography becoming mainstream, many artists used photographic techniques to produce (realistic) paintings. The Plein Air Movement, which was linked to the Impressionist Movement, was in part a reaction against the limited, mechanical nature of images produced by the camera. Also, the Impressionists had a particular fascination with color (which photography was not yet able to reproduce.) With a bent toward romanticism, Impressionist artists who painted en plein air sought to put the artist…Read more