We got to Blue Ridge Daylilies early - around 8? - because the temp was going to climb. The daylily fields were in full bloom, with flowers of all shapes and colors. I spied a friend painting in the shade, which spoke to me. It was a battle between him and the rooster sculpture - so they both won out. Oil, 8 X 10”, available.
alla prima
A Day With The Daylilies
It’s a work in progress but almost finished with “A Day With Daylilies.” I need to decide if I’m keeping the rooster sculpture, and work on some refinements in lilies and shadows. Oil, 8 X 10” on panel.
Blue Ridge Daylilies PaintOut Plein Air
The day was hot hot hot, but the scenery was glorious. My friend Doug painted & posed while the hours flew. It’s a work in progress but will be on offer soon.
Juicy Still Life, Rainy Day
A rainy day oil, created in one sitting, exploring the abstraction of shapes and use of heavily loaded brushes. Rosewood Ceramics vase and handbuilt small jar.
A Rainy Day Still Life
It’s a dark and very rainy day here in Asheville. Flash flood warnings have been issued, which always brings up a bit of PTSD after Hurricane Helene two years ago, but hopefully all will be well. I’m just marking out the plan for a still life in oil, including a gorgeous antique Rosewood Ceramics vase I recently acquired. Hope you are having a quiet, peaceful Sunday.
Some of the most striking views of the Blue Ridge are the long vistas like this. I was taken by the light hitting the rocks at sunset, as the shadows began to creep in. This is an original Contemporary Fresco on Aquabord and is framed in a perfectly suited chestnut frame, deep with color and texture. This ready to hang piece is 14.5” W X 11.5” H.Available here: https://www.catherinetwomey.com/new-products/valley-view-tgeth
"Valley View" Now On Offer!
Works In Progress
Recent outings in North Carolina, from ponds to the Arboretum to the Blue Ridge. These are all Works In Progress - but I love the immediate reaction and freshness.
"Azalea Riverbank" by C. Twomey
Work In Progress, this was painted live, plein air at the Azalea Festival at the North Carolina Arboretum. A glorious, luscious and sneezy day painting with friends. A little bit more work to do before release.
Monday's Spring Parade
Yes, the virus news is again disconcerting. Take a moment; get outside if you can stand the pollen, and take a deep breath. Be kind to yourself.
“Colorado Cumulus”, 8 X 10” watercolor on Canson Board.
"Colorado Cumulus" Watercolor by C. Twomey
Just drove across the United States, from California to North Carolina - with lots of flat desert but incredible skies. This view took my breath away as the sun descended.
"Storms A' Brewin" Watercolor Release
Certainly seems to be... "Storms a'Brewin", pigments on Kilimanjaro #140 watercolor paper, with oil sticks. Stay safe out there, and peace.
Now Showing, Woolworth Walk
in abstract painting, abstraction, alla prima, archival oil painting, art for sale, blue ridge mountains, flower painting, gallery, gallery art, gallery representation, garden art, landscape, oil painting, oil paintings, print sale, studio sale, still life, sunset painting, tree painting, Woolworth Walk
Happy to announce that historic Woolworth Walk, 25 Haywood Ave. in downtown Asheville, is now featuring some of my work. Hope you can make it by!
"Orchard Pass" Original by Catherine Twomey
Early spring venture up to a mountain pass orchard near my home. Painted plein air, in a field next to the apple trees. I was struck by the white blossoms of the apple trees against the receding mountains. This is an original painting on archival Crescent board, and is ready for framing.
Now available at this link: https://www.catherinetwomey.com/available/orchard-pass-watercolor-7-x-10
"Beaver Lake, Early Morning" Available Original Oil Painting
“Beaver Lake, Early Morning”, oil on panel, 9 X 12”.
About 8:00 a.m., a crystalline lake surrounded by wildflowers and pines. It was going to be a hot day, so I tackled this early as the joggers and walkers skittered by. Available here: https://www.catherinetwomey.com/available
"Oil" At Auction Now
"The Secret Forest" Work In Progress by C. Twomey
WIP of the secret forest. The intriguing thing about the distant light is that’s a wall of falling water that feeds the creek. Where bears roam. 18 x 24” oil on linen panel.
Oil, 18 X 24”, the forest below the dam. Where bears roam.
Orbis: Improving Eyesight In South Africa
The people who may be interested in this post understand why I’m posting it.
For about a decade, when I was working full-time as a medical illustrator, I had a client that believed in working for good causes that coincided with my beliefs. As an independent contractor part of their team, I worked at a significantly reduced rate for a charity in New York, https://www.orbis.org/en. To better understand their mission:
“Imagine losing your sight in one of the poorest regions in the world. Where would you turn for help? With few quality eye doctors, hospitals or clinics, your chances of getting the right kind of care are small. As your sight gets worse, your chances of getting an education or earning a steady income begin to fade away…With your help and the support of our amazing volunteers, we can not only give people their sight back today, but help change the quality of ophthalmologists and build a lasting legacy of quality eye care that will ensure no one goes needlessly blind tomorrow.”
As a part of this effort, I created a large number of medical illustrations showing eye pathologies, including the ones shown here, which were distributed throughout clinics in South Africa. On my own dime, I few to South Africa to visit clinics to understand whether or not the work I was doing was being effective. The poverty and need I saw was overwhelming.
This is called giving back. It is most definitely not racism. I haven’t written about this until now, but now it needs to be heard. Thank you for your interest, and if you have the means, this is a very worthwhile charity.
Catherine Twomey Contributes to a PAPA PBS Documentary
As a member of Preserving A Picturesque America (https://preservationthroughart.org/) yesterday I joined three other plein air painters at the Biltmore Estate on the Wisteria Terrace. As we painted we were filmed and then interviewed about our work and PAPA for an upcoming PBS Documentary. It was a most spectacular day, fortunately, and although I have almost no memory of what I said in the interview, I hope I did PAPA proud - I know they make me proud.
Painting, getting filmed and interviewed for a PBS documentary this morning at Biltmore. Four plein air painters for Preserving a Picturesque America hard at work.
Jeff the cameraman from LA, preparing to shoot with his 30# camera.
The wisteria that captured my heart and eye; along with Mt. Pisgah.
Almost finished, always one more thing to do....9 X 12" oil on Artefex canvas over aluminum panel with Michael Harding oils.
"Island Edge" by Catherine Twomey Sold!
THANK YOU to Blend Gallery at 67 Biltmore Ave (Asheville) for the sale of "Island Edge." This original oil was painted plein air at Bass Lake in Blowing Rock, NC - obviously a beautiful, serene place filled with happy walkers as storms came and went.
Open Studio Tour! Oct. 8 & 9, 1 Plymouth Court, Asheville!
in abstract painting, abstraction, acrylic pour, alla prima, art for sale, blue ridge mountains, California painting, daylilies, daylily, dogwood, dogwood painting, earthpainting, exhibition, flower painting, flowers, gallery, gallery art, garden art, giclee, gladiolus, horses, hydrangea, hydrangeas, landscape, manifesto painting, moon painting, mountains, oak tree, oceanpainting, oil painting, oil paintings, plein air, pond lilies, print sale, still life, sunset painting, universe, waterfalls, waterlilies
Hope you can come and meet me at 1 Plymouth Court, Kenilworth, Asheville this Saturday and Sunday. Starting at 10, ending at 5 - it would be such a pleasure to meet you! I’ll have originals and prints, snacks & spring water. The weather is going to be PERFECT! See you there, and thanks.
