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.
Studio Sale on etsy.com (catherinetwomeyart.etsy.com) Now!
Lots of "Thank you's (or youse)" lately to the wonderful people who support my artistic efforts and purchase my prints and/or original artwork. You're inspirational, motivational and downright kind! Grateful - more so than you can imagine. Etsy: catherinetwomeyart.etsy.com
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.
"The Island" by Catherine Twomey
"The Island" is a plein air oil, 16" X 16" in Blowing Rock, NC. It was a blustery, sometimes rainy day, but there is nothing like capturing the light on site. Thank you to the collector from Hewitt, NJ for their purchase!
Maple Ridge Craggy Gardens Named To Collection!
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:
“The Marked Tree”, 12” X 16” on panel
"The Marked Tree" Vineyards by Catherine Twomey
A memory, a feeling, a brief moment of life - this was painted at Marked Tree Vineyards, where I was surrounded by the most beautiful scenery, happy somewhat inebriated people, a good panter friends. I was so drawn to the way the vines pointed at the namesake tree - and the colors, the rich colors of the countryside on a gorgeous summer day.
The Last Hydrangea
Finishing up this oil of one of the last hydrangeas in the garden. It’s going to be 90 today, and everything is looking a bit tired and too hot (me too!). The garden colors are shifting to more subtlety, which is quite lovely and peaceful. May you stay cool, healthy and happy.
“Sequenced”, 24” X 36” pigments, iridescents, metallics on aluminum panel, framed.
"Sequenced" Original Painting by Catherine Twomey On Offer
The luminous sky and mountains at over 6,000 feet can overwhelm. Couple that with the late spring blooms of the rhododendrons, and there is a sense of floating high above the clouds as the sun descends. I'm inspired by the mountains and sky, of course - but the flow of the pigments themselves is so freeing; so abstract. It's like it helps makes sense of all of the complex layers and diffuse light spreading through the clouds. Each layer is constructed
separately using pigments, tools, an airbrush and gravity. Although the end result appears realistic, on closer inspection it's made up of pours, ridges and glowing pigment. This 24" X 36" original painting will infuse your room settings with good taste and luminescence. It is framed in a lovely copper and black floating frame.
"Between Storms" Plein Air by Catherine Twomey
“Between Storms” is an 8” X 16” oil on archival panel.
The weather is so incredibly variable in the mountains, and this day was no exception. I made my way around a lake, Bass Lake, in Blowing Rock, NC - Blue Ridge mountains. Surrounded by threatening cumulous clouds, I quickly set up and immediately planned out the composition. Suddenly, sunlight flooded the island in the lake's middle, and I knew I had my painting. The flashes of light green and blue highlighted the dark pines against the mountainside. The light fell on a downed log, prompting a highlight that finished the piece. As dozens of people made their way past and around the lake path, it felt like we were all in it together - a race against the lightning in an electric moment.
"Altapass Apple Orchard With Cloud Shadow" by C. Twomey Available!
An hour's drive up to a mountain pass proved to be well worth the trip. I spent a day at Altapass Orchards in North Carolina - and what a sight it was! The day was clear and unusually warm, so I was able to set up for some long range views. The apple blossoms were just coming out, adding to the scene's delight. This original watercolor is 6" X 12" on archival Canson board.
Asheville Art Museum GALA Fundraiser - C. Twomey Art Featured!
The Asheville Art Museum is celebrating one year since their renovation opening. On November 14, there will be a “silent auction & buy it now” opportunity in which the price of the item will be divided between the artist and the museum. Four of my paintings will be offered! - please check Asheville art museum link for details on how to purchase.
https://www.ashevilleart.org/event/gala-2020/2020-11-14/
"White On White" Oil Offered by Catherine Twomey
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.
12 X 16”, archival Canson Board
"Vines of the Ocean" by C. Twomey
The real plein air experience. How dare those people sit there!
When the weather is good along the Gulf of Mexico, the water turns a most intriguing green, blue, turquoise and the sky clouds burst up throughout the day. Painting outside, en plein air, is most challenging. At the same time, it's delightfully fun. While I painted this, the beach became increasingly crowded. It became a spontaneous party. A few times, a frisbee flew into the vicinity and I let loose with a big, "Hey!". Fortunately, apologies were offered. After around three hours, a dune buggy arrived suddenly with two policeman. Apparently I was on a no-alcohol beach. The crowd scattered, the police checked ID's and yelled - then within minutes, I was the only human left. I missed the people stopping by to see what I was doing, but at the same time, the quiet was welcome. I learned later that these waters are known as "Shark Alley." No skinny dipping was going on. This painting is 12 X 16 on archival Canson Board. It is unframed but ready to be tastefully framed.
Artwork in National Juried Show, Knoxville
A couple of my pieces have been curated into the National Juried Show in Knoxville, TN. Additional information is here:
https://www.knoxalliance.com/national-juried-exhibition-of-2020/
so if you have a chance please stop by! The show will be running until February 28, 2020.
8 X 10”, acrylics, ink on archival surface
"Full Moon, December" by Catherine Twomey
Winter is advancing. The sun sets earlier by minutes, every day. Something extraordinary happens to the sky, however. It seems clearer, crisper, more beautiful then any other time of year. It's energizing. I want to let the paint have a mind of it's own, with a little help from me. I want to capture the contrasts and clarity. Tomorrow, December 12, the full moon of December, called the Full Cold Moon, will arrive overnight tonight just after midnight eastern time, and as it rises it will be joined in the sky by the planets Venus and Saturn, which will be close together after reaching a conjunction on Dec. 11. This painting is unframed. It is on archival RayMar linen panel and is of the highest quality. Acrylics were used, along with inks and flow medium. It is a luminous, 8 X 10" original painting.
"Falls of Catawba: Blue Ridge Mountains" by C. Twomey
“Falls At Catawba”; the sound hits you before you can smell the water; the reward is climbing to sit near the soft ferns as the water finds its way down. Is there anything more peaceful than sitting beside a gently flowing waterfall in dappled shade?
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. This fantastic day hike explores 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.
This painting is original, and is wired and ready to hang. It is unframed. It was painted on raw canvas, allowing the beautiful stains of the paints to saturate and spread. It is enhanced with metallics such as silver and copper.
Work In Progress, “Max Patch Hedonism”, 22 X 28” acrylic pours, metallics and hand painting.
"Max Patch Hedonism" by C. Twomey
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.
The Surface of Mars, 12X12” on stretched canvas: Work In Progress
Mars Attacks!
Some more experimentation today, while moving towards the planets and considering the Hubble Telescope images. What a beautiful planet - and so mysterious.
Acrylic Pour Experimental Pour
"Mountain View" Acrylic Pour by C. Twomey
I’ve done a lot of paint pouring, but for the first time i’m carefully keeping track of what paints I’m using, what mediums are employed, how the pour goes, etc. This is the first piece I’m happy with. It’s a combination of DecoArt acrylics and distilled water. What a joy to have a moment to do testing and record it.