distance

Landscape Study VI

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

My landscape exploration continues with this study of a view I often pass when going to and from town. I liked the light in the distance on this day,with clouds rolling in over the far ridges.

Escape the snow

Escape

watercolor

6 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This is a view from my favorite, Edisto Beach, SC., and where my thoughts go when I want to escape all of the snow I see outside  my window. It is in response to a Daily Paintworks challenge that I submitted. I am enjoying seeing all of the varied interpretations for the Escape the Snow Challenge.

snow challenge

Winter Sun

watercolor

6 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

reference photo credit Carol Marine

available

Since joining Daily Paintworks I have participated in only a few of their weekly challenges. But with a "big snow" event predicted for us this weekend I decided it was a good time to paint the "Snow Challenge". The reference photo intrigued me as well. I loved those long diagonal shadows created by the low winter sunlight. And that bright glare of sunlight -  how to paint that? This was a fun challenge to paint. And now I better make sure we have enough bread and milk before the big snow arrives.

Tree Line

Tree Line

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This painting began with the idea of expressing those lines of trees we see punctuating hillsides. I like the linear rhythm of the trees in winter as they rise up an over the crest of the hills, backlit by a bright sky. There is a view such as this from our back deck, if you peer through the trees of our wooded yard. But travel down most any road around here and similar scenes can be found. These lines of trees are a testament to the rural roots of these Southern mountains, where farming was, and still is, quite challenging. That and grazing lands created these tree-articulated hillsides from their forested past.

dramatic sky

Landscape Study V

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

We sometimes see dramatic skies as clouds roll up and over our mountain ridges. This painting is a view near the Blue Ridge Parkway, not far from Bamboo Gap. It's a scene that I pass by often when traveling to and from town. The drama of the clouds inspired me to capture this moment.

sketchbook :: the winter view

My sketchbooks have become more working sketchbooks and less illustrated journals. Lots of notes and scribbles with painting plans, compositional studies, and working out motifs fill the pages. Yet every now and then I feel the need to capture a moment. I have been making an attempt to record the varying color of the sky during these winter months, which is what I set out to do yesterday. It was late in the afternoon and the light was fading fast as I sat at the table looking out our back door. With my previous sky sketches I edited out the trees, but yesterday I included the ridge on the horizon and some of the trees in our yard. Our yard is wooded with an understory of rhododendrons. There are so many trees that it is impossible to identify them all. We are used to looking through them, to see the light on the hills beyond.

Both sketches are watercolor only in a 7 x 10 Stillman & Birn Beta series sketchbook.

this new year

Landscape Study IV

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Heading into this new year I am continuing with these small landscape studies. This painting is inspired by a view looking up toward Thunder Hill on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's a spot where, if you hike to the top, you are rewarded with a nearly 360 degree view of the mountains. I liked the direction of the path in this scene, as it appears and then disappears over the rise of the hill. which seemed to make it a good metaphor for the start of a new year.

Waiting for Halcyon Days

Waiting for Halcyon Days

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This painting developed intuitively from my response to my initial mark making and paint application. I began with a resist of masking fluid in a big, sweeping, circular motion. Then with the paper randomly sprayed with water I applied washes of color. From there I considered what I wanted to happen in each area. I used a stamp inspired by a fossil shape that I created from a white plastic eraser as well as stencils to create some of the shapes. I have long been fascinated with mythology and folklore. As the painting began to suggest water I imagined the kingfisher from the Greek myth of Halcyon and its power to calm the waves. As our time of Halcyon Days ends for this year I wish you calm waters in the new year.

Halcyon days, now wars are ending.

You shall find where ere you sail

Tritons all the while attending

With a kind and gentle gale.

~Halcyon Days by Thomas Shadwell~

12 in 15

As a review of the year this post is a selection of twelve works I have completed in 2015. I actually had a fairly busy year creating approximately 48 paintings, not counting the ones that went into the bin. I often feel that my work is going in several directions at once, not that it's a bad thing, but it is helpful to take some time to review where I have been and assess where I'd like to go next. I was inspired to choose twelve for this review by artist Jeanette Jobson and her recent 12 in 15 post. They are listed here in order of creation, not by preference. I would love to know which are your favorites and why.

Sea Souvenirs

watercolor

6 x 12 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available at With These Hands Gallery

Ocean Dreams V

watercolor

8 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Dreaming of the Sea

watercolor

6 x 12 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available from the artist

Market Sunflowers

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

sold

Calloway Gap

watercolor

8 x 10 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Tide Rising

watercolor

12 x 12 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available from the artist

Midsummer

watercolor

8 x 10 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Endive Basket

watercolor

8 x 8 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Sunflower Play

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

sold

Gathering Season

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Autumn Spirit

watercolor

11 x 14 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

Landscape Study III

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

winter light

Landscape Study III

watercolor

6 x 6 inches

©Ann Thompson Nemcosky

available

This is a view from up near Howard's Knob as you head towards Rich Mountain. With this small study I was interested in pushing the values in order to express that low and intense light we experience in winter. After doing this small study I would like to have a go at making a larger painting from this scene. But for now it's on to more landscape studies.