Mackerel Mountain Sunset

 

Sunset comes to Appalachia under a mackerel summer sky. In a gap between the clouds, the low sun blazes brightly, illuminating everything in rays of light and colors. Soon, night will fall over this wild realm, but for now, enjoy the sunset.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Grandfather Mountain - autumn evening

In early October, I visited my brother and his family down in Charlotte, NC. While I was down there, we all took a day trip out to see Grandfather Mountain, a well-known site in western North Carolina. This impressive mountain has a double peak that is over a mile in elevation; while it was cloudy that day, it was still a great trip. We saw huge rocks, countless trees starting to turn fall colors, and hiked up a rocky trail to the swinging bridge near the top that is about a mile up. At the peak, even with the clouds, you can feel just how rugged and remote a place it is. We finished up at the visitor's center, which was large and very well maintained, complete with a cafeteria, museum, gift shop, and occasional live animal demos. This painting captures the rugged, split peak of this famous mountain in its autumn colors. If you're ever in the area of Grandfather Mountain, it is well-worth a visit.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Waterrock Knob - Sunset Stormscape

About a decade ago, my brother and I went on a roadtrip through the Smoky Mountains. We saw the sunset amid storms near the top of Waterrock Knob. While I painted this scene once before soon after the trip, I decided to approach it again, using what I've learned since then. The end result better captures the infinite hills and rolling, illuminated clouds, though nothing compares to actually having been there.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Thunder in the Mountains

In the Smoky Mountains, a spring storm rolls through on a warm day, bring cool rain and dramatic lightning.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

First Snowfall in the Smokies

We haven't had much snow here on the east coast this winter, and so I figured I'd paint a scene somewhere in the Smoky Mountains where snowfall is more common, even in early winter. Enjoy!

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"