Dusty Prairie Storm

 

Spring this year throughout most of the US has been plagued by severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flooding. Summer has now begun, bringing with it a terrible heat wave and early tropical storms. As bad as the severe weather is, storms can bring rain to drought-stricken regions, and they are beautiful when they are not dangerous. Here, we see some late afternoon thunderstorms billowing over the dry hills and grasslands typical of the plains and western US. 

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Cliffside Lightning

Low angled light cuts across the mountain peaks as dark clouds gather in the distance. Lightning flashes, thunder rolls, and in the wavering breeze, we can feel the first storm of spring.

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"

Evening Lakeside Storms

Low evening sunlight stretches across a vast lake, catching the shores and tree tops in a warm glow. Miles away, storm clouds are illuminated in the waning light of day.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Sycamore After the Rain

The summer sun returns after a passing storm, illuminating an old sycamore that stands by a muddy footpath through a forgotten park.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Mist and Storms in the Mountains

As summer approaches, thunderstorms roll through the mountains of Appalachia and drive a thick mist into the valleys before them. The warm sun illuminates the clouds as the cool winds pick up and the first drops of rain begin to fall.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"

Virginia Tech Storm Clouds

Back in May of this year, my sister graduated from Virginia Tech, a university located in a beautiful part of the country in the mountains of Virginia. Scenes like this one were common as storm clouds rolled over the hills and mountains and sunlight peaked out upon the tree-filled plains.

Acrylic painting: 14" x 17"