In my last post, I mentioned that I was going to do a small watercolor at a wedding near Cashiers, NC. That turned into an interesting experience. Cashiers is in a spectacularly beautiful region high in the mountains of southeast North Carolina. The area is filled with golf courses, vacation homes, and seasonal businesses. The couple getting married had asked me to do a small watercolor of the setting for their wedding. It wasn't to include the bride, groom, or other wedding participants. I told them that I could do a plein air landscape and have it matted for them during the reception.
Once I arrived at the site, I saw why they wanted the location. It's a place called Lonesome Valley, which I learned is the largest box canyon east of the Mississippi. The valley floor was lush with the early-spring light greens of the trees, while the canyon walls to the northeast were sheer granite walls hundreds of feet high. Wow! I set up in a place where the wedding guests could come by to see what I was doing, while still giving me a clear view of the valley and the granite walls. When I started, it was a beautiful day.
That changed. The wedding was scheduled for 5 pm, but at 4:30 some thick clouds rolled in. I checked the weather radar and, of course, there was a single cell of rain coming right towards us. Just before 5, it opened up.
I took down my easel and quickly relocated to the shelter of the reception hall to finish up the artwork. The rain eased up and the ceremony went off a half hour late. Not too bad, considering. The bride, groom, and guests all seemed to love the artwork ... at least, I had lots of questions and compliments on it. So here's the finished work:
The good people at Lonesome Valley said that they welcome artists to come paint the valley. I'm not a landscape artist, but this is definitely a place I'd like to go back to and paint!
Once I arrived at the site, I saw why they wanted the location. It's a place called Lonesome Valley, which I learned is the largest box canyon east of the Mississippi. The valley floor was lush with the early-spring light greens of the trees, while the canyon walls to the northeast were sheer granite walls hundreds of feet high. Wow! I set up in a place where the wedding guests could come by to see what I was doing, while still giving me a clear view of the valley and the granite walls. When I started, it was a beautiful day.
That changed. The wedding was scheduled for 5 pm, but at 4:30 some thick clouds rolled in. I checked the weather radar and, of course, there was a single cell of rain coming right towards us. Just before 5, it opened up.
I took down my easel and quickly relocated to the shelter of the reception hall to finish up the artwork. The rain eased up and the ceremony went off a half hour late. Not too bad, considering. The bride, groom, and guests all seemed to love the artwork ... at least, I had lots of questions and compliments on it. So here's the finished work:
The good people at Lonesome Valley said that they welcome artists to come paint the valley. I'm not a landscape artist, but this is definitely a place I'd like to go back to and paint!
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