A Successful Tour! Thank You!

Thanks to so many who came to see my art on Saturday. It was wonderful to talk art, and it amazed me how much people knew and cared about. 

 I have been asked to show again at Mud Dauber Pottery in Earlysville, VA and am working on getting into another show at a downtown gallery.

 Your support is priceless and irreplaceable. Thank you.

 The following pieces have found new homes:
Twomey
Buck Mountain Vineyard No. 2

Oil by Twomey
Earlysville General Store No. 3

Twomey
Ceramic Horse Head

Twomey
Ceramic Giraffe

Twomey
East Fall Blue Ridge No. 3

Twomey
Pear Portrait

Twomey
Buck Mountain Vineyard No. 1

Twomey
Settin' On The Pier: Key West

"Earlysville General Store" on Arts Rivanna Tour

"Earlysville General Store No. 3" Oil on board, 8 X 10"
Driving by this classic old service station daily, I'm reminded of the era it was built and all the people who've passed through that door. It's still in service today and at lunchtime is jammed with contractors looking for deli sandwiches and a fill up. 

This work along with many others will be available Saturday, Sept. 13 on the Arts Rivanna Tour, Earlysville, VA. Would love to meet you there.

"Buck Mountain Vineyard No. 2", oil, Twomey

C. Twomey original oil
Buck Mountain Vineyard No.1


This original oil painting, "Buck Mountain Vineyard No.2" will be available for sale on September 13th and 20th at the Arts Rivanna Tour, in and around Earlysville, VA. It is 6 X 6", and is framed in a beautiful handmade frame.

I was driving down Buck Mountain Rd., about 2 miles from where I live, and came around a curve to this unforgettable site. There wasn't much room for painting, but I got it done and can't help revisiting the moment every time I paint it. Vineyards are popping up all over here, and they bring endless painting possibilities.

The tour will be Saturday, September 13th & 20th, beginning at 10:00 am. If you're needing directions to the Arts Rivanna Tour, see the following. I'll be located at the studio in the middle, off of Advance Mills Road near Fray Road. Hope to meet you then!


Arts Rivanna Tour - Please Join Us!

Oil on linen by C. Twomey
Bleak House Barn No.6, 4x6", oil on linen board


I'm taking part in an upcoming studio tour, so hope you can join us!:

A R T S  R I V A N N A  T O U R : 
September 13th & 20th, 2014; 10 am - 5 pm

 Contact: Judith Townsend
434-978-7937
judy@judithktownsend.com

 Start the Tour here: 3023 Colonial Drive, Earlysville 22936
Take 29 North; turn right on Route 649 (Proffit Rd.);
go one-half mile; turn right on Colonial Dr. 
to 3023 Colonial Drive, Earlysville

Rural Landscape With Plantation Barn 1 Auction

Bleak House Plantation Barn 1

The first in a barn series at the Bleak House Plantation in Earlysville, VA, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. At this nitial painting stage, I'm there to understand the correct structure, lighting and "mood" of the building. This barn has it all. It's imposing, to be sure, and as the sun was slowly heading down, the barn's history ebbed forth. 

I'm often at heightened state of, well - anxiety - at this stage. There is only so much time to get things painted correctly, and especially settle on the shadow's shapes. If you can imagine, what's calming are the barn sparrows and doves quietly having a conversation while an intruder (that would be me!) makes strange stroking motions on an easel and board.

This barn was built in the 1700's, when slaves worked the plantation's wheat, tobacco, corn and livestock.A dream-like glow seems to infuse the barn, much like the way I view the plantation.

This original oil on archival linen board is 7" X 5", and is unframed.

This painting would look like this if framed:



Rural Landscape With Plantation Barn Auction

Oil Painting by Catherine Twomey
Bleak House Plantation Barn 3
Auction listed at http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/197172

This gorgeous, symmetrical barn is just down Buck Mountain Road in Earlysville, Virginia, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was irresistible, it had to be painted; and what I like about this oil is how free the brushstrokes became. The structure became a dreamlike symbol of it's history, and it's history is deep.

The Bleak House Plantation was built in the 1700's and covered hundreds of acres planted in corn, tobacco, wheat and other crops.

This original oil on archival linen board is 7" X 5", and is unframed.

This painting would look like this if framed:

Oil Painting Framed, by Catherine Twomey
Bleak House Plantation Barn 3, Sample Frame

5 Ways To Identify A Painting For YOUR Taste

There are so many choices of painting styles - when you're in the market, it helps to quickly narrow down what appeals to your individual taste....(continued below)
Oil painting by Twomey, barn plantation
Bleak House Barn III
Working on a series of the Bleak House Plantation Barn located in Earlysville, VA. What I'm liking very much about this painting is that I'm loosening up. A dream like, luscious quality is infusing the structure - a quality I very much feel when I'm looking at this venerable barn.

This original is available for sale as a 5 X 7" oil on archival linen board. Framed in a gorgeous custom gold and black floating canvas frame. 

Helpful purchasing guidelines:

1. What's your budget? You can purchase original pieces of art - art that will increase in value - for less than $500.

2. When looking at art samples, what draws your eye first? This includes identifying that eye-grabbing trait: A color or colors? Subject matter, pattern, abstraction? The stroke (or lack of) of the artist's hand?

3. What size? This seems obvious, but are you open to whatever appeals? Or are you trying to fill a big space over the sofa? 

4. Will the artist's work appreciate in value? If this is important to you, take the time to look at their awards, their statement about their work, their Biography. These will tell you if they're in it for a quick fling or have the staying power needed to increase the value of their art.

5. Are you buying from your heart? If so, that magical quality that drew you in is likely to capture others as well. Successful collectors bring their hearts, their instincts AND their minds to the table when making an art-purchasing decision. 


How to Paint An Emotional Icon

Oil painting by Catherine Twomey
Bleak House Barn 2
I have to have a reason to paint. There is so much local history here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge that's it's tough to focus on just one thing. A focus on the barn at Bleak House Plantation tempers an impending sense of overwhelmed-ness that comes with so many choices.
Having just seen Twelve Years A Slave, that's what I'm thinking of as I read about the history of this plantation. I'm revisiting this barn series at the Bleak House Plantation in Earlysville, VA. Built in the1700's when slaves worked the plantation's wheat, tobacco, corn and livestock. 

I wandered around on a hot spring day, capturing many opinions of what this barn meant to the surrounding landscape. It was silent but for the birds in the country, yet I could hear the voices of past inhabitants and the earth gave up hints of previous homes and outbuildings. Google search was an enormous help in finding obscure references to the slaves that worked here, their names, position, ages, value, etc. 

This particular viewpoint is the third in the series. I simplified the structure, concentrating more on the light and shadow colors and shapes. Emotionally I wanted something beautiful but imposing, as this barn was a symbol of prosperity and enslaved toil. 

This original is available for sale as a 5 X 7" oil on archival linen board. Framed in a gorgeous custom gold and black floating canvas frame. 






Artisan's Studio Tour: Earlysville, VA

Hope you can make it to the Artisan's Studio Tour which is coming up November 10 - 11. 

 Studio Four, Mud Dauber Pottery will have my paintings on display, with some new paintings including the following:
Preddy Creek, Albemarle, Va, by Catherine Twomey
Preddy Creek Albemarle Residents
The tour is a lot of fun and gives you the opportunity to meet the artists as well as see them at work. You can also buy quality crafted work, support local businesses and enjoy food and drinks, all at the same time!

Gorgeous Fall Weekend in Earlysville

Hope you can swing by today and see my paintings at:

Twomey One Person Show at Mud Dauber Pottery

There's also a beautiful winery nearby in Free Union:

http://www.glasshousewinery.com/

So make a beautiful central Virginia fall day of it!

And please note: yes, some of the paintings have sold, and thank you beyond belief to those who purchased! I am painting more, I do accept commissions, and would love to talk to you, so feel free to contact me.

Twomey One Person Mud Dauber Show
Bleak House Plantation Barn, Earlysville, VA
Best,

Catherine

Twomey's Huckstep's Garage at Sun Down in Free Union Virginia

Twomey's Oil Painting of Huckstep's Garage, Free Union Virginia
Huckstep's Garage off Buck Mountain Road
Right down Buck Mountain Road to the west of the Earlysville General Store is Huckstep’s. This landmark building was put up in the 1940’s, and I sure believe it. 

I just loved the way the sun hit it at the end of the day along Buck Mountain and Free Union Roads. A stunning reminder of all that it serviced, I hear it’s just been sold. I really hope they don’t tear it down; it’s too dignified for that.

This original painting will be featured in my upcoming show at Mud Dauber Pottery. And here's a link to Suzanne Crane's Mud Dauber site.

Vineyard on Buck Mountain Road in Virginia

Twomey's Vineyard on Buck Mountain Road.
Vineyard Along Buck Mountain Road, Earlysville. Virginia
Driving along Buck Mountain Road as the sun was starting to head down, I suddenly pulled off the road when I saw this sight. The most stunning view of the day - the vineyard, the vines, the farrows, the mist in the Blue Ridge mountain valley's, the way the sun blasted the foliage. 

No wonder I love this place - this landscape view is about five minutes from my house and has brought me great peace and happiness.

This original oil is going to be available at my upcoming show Twomey One Person Show Earlysville.

Would love to meet and talk!!

"You Have A Gorgeous Mug"


Photo: "You Have A Gorgeous Mug" was inspired by Suzanne Crane's lovely ceramics. I bought a group of these mugs and have given them away as gifts, so I thought: "You love it -Paint it!". This 4 X 4" framed oil painting will be available at my upcoming One Person Show at Mud Dauber Pottery, 4225 Earlysville Road in Earlysville, VA. The show will run from Oct. 13 thru Jan. 1, 2013. http://www.artscraftspotteryandtiles.com/
You Have A Gorgeous Mug

"You Have A Gorgeous Mug" was inspired by Suzanne Crane's lovely ceramics. 

I bought a group of these mugs and have given them away as gifts, so I thought: "You love it -Paint it!".  There's something magical about the colors and precision that Suzanne uses to produce her work. It is an honor to be featured at her store and to be given this opportunity to collaborate.

This 4 X 4" framed oil painting will be available at my upcoming One Person Show at Mud Dauber Pottery, 4225 Earlysville Road in Earlysville, VA.

This work is in a beautiful and unusual frame called a "floater frame". It allows the painting to wrap around the canvas sides and still be visible. It also helps a small painting like this make a big impact. The show will run from Oct. 13 thru Jan. 1, 2013.

One Person Show in Earlysville, Virginia


Hope you can come sometime between Oct. 13, 2012 until Jan. 1, 2013!!!


From TED and ArtInPlace to a One Person Show: “Iconic Earlysville”

Earlysville, VA (Oct. 3, 2012) Earlysville artist Catherine Twomey will be featured in a one-person show at Suzanne Crane’s Mud Dauber Pottery at 4225 Earlysville Road in Earlysville. The Opening Reception will be Saturday, October 13, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Since arriving in the Charlottesville area over five years ago, Catherine has painted the Piedmont en plein air (“in the open air”), primarily in oils and watercolors. The upcoming exhibition, “Iconic Earlysville” includes the old farms, buildings, trees and mountain views that make Earlysville such a beautiful and distinctive place. 

In the fall of 2010, Catherine’s oil painting East Fall Blue Ridge won the Art In Place (http://www.artinplace.org/) mural award, and is currently on display as a 12’ X 24’ mural on Barracks Road.

As a medical illustrator, Catherine has carved a career that has garnered national and international awards and accolades in the world of science and medicine.

In the fall of 2011, the medical branch of the prestigious TED (Technology, Education and Design) Conference selected and featured Catherine’s medical illustration work for presentation at the TEDMED Conference in San Diego, which is touring nationwide.

A horse lover and equestrian, Twomey also received the prestigious First Place in Open Illustration award category for the “Da Vinci Horse: Biomechanical Piaffe” illustration. The illustration was created for the September, 2007 cover of the USDF Connection magazine, with prints in collections worldwide.

The exhibition will run through January 1, 2013:

Mud Dauber Pottery
4225 Earlysville Road
Earlysville 22936
http://www.artscraftspotteryandtiles.com
Studio/Suzanne 434-973-7943

One Person Show Oct. 13 thru the 2012 Holidays

I'm excited to announce the following:


We are still working out the opening times, but I'll update soon. I've spent much of the summer out and about the beautiful area where I live, Earlysville, Virginia, painting the old farms, service stations, white oak trees, etc., and this is the culmination of that effort.

Suzanne Crane is an exquisite potter and owner of Mud Dauber Pottery. She has generously agreed to host my original oil paintings in her large studio. The works will be available for viewing through the Christmas Holidays.

Hope you can make it!