Arts Rivanna Tour - Please Join Us!

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 Auction listed at htt1http://www.dailypaintworks.com/buy/auction/198951

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:

Red Barn Star

The painting below was just added to my gallery at Daily Paintworks.

Red Star Barn

As a new member, I'm beginning to build my gallery there and have added this image to it. In addition, I'm offering auctions of original fine art, two of which are live now:

Bleak House Plantation Barn 3

Sedona Day's End

Hope you have a moment to visit and bid!

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)

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

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. 

Red Barn Star

Red Barn Star by Twomey

I am very excited to release this painting that was commissioned by a patron in the Earlysville area. It's hard to describe how picturesque these acres are, and the barn epitomized all there was to see. Morgan horses are kept in this barn, which is an original "antique" although it's been restored and is in perfect condition.

Coming from the Midwest, it's still hard for me to believe how beautiful the Blue Ridge mountains are. Throw in the history here and I get all carried away. 

This is an 8 X 10" oil on linen board.

Red Horse Barn Snow Storm Virginia

Red Horse Barn Snow Storm Virginia

The recent spring snow storm brought great destruction and with great beauty. This lean-to barn is in my back yard. It only looked this way for a couple of hours until the heavy wet snow began to melt, but it was stunning until then.