The Bluegrass Painter

Appalachian Festival and More

This past Saturday was a red letter day for me. Our band for the day,  Bloomington Hill, was privileged to be one of the mountain music groups playing at the Appalachian Festival on the campus of Frostburg State University.   It was a pleasure to have Randy Thomas, Eric and Wayne Weimer, Dave Funkhouser and Walter Dixon with me on stage

 This a well run event that showcases the mountain culture of western MD and surrounds. Thanks to Kara Rogers Thomas for inviting us and Greg Latta and the sound crew at the Sowers Stage for making it easy. We were flattered to be included with so many performers of significant stature. Saw Karen Artis, bassist and vocalist with the Allegheny Drifters. Also,  Pat Skipper on fiddle and Jim Rayner on mandolin, who perform as part of the Broken Glass and Rusty Hinges, were nice enough to sit through our set along with their wives.

Loretta Hummel, accompanied by Robert Broadwater and Bill Nelson, preceded us on stage and was kind enough to extend an invitation to an afternoon pickin' party at her home near Grantsville. I went and had a real good time although I had to leave just as things were getting going for another commitment.

I didn't get any photos, darn! But here are two watercolors that seem to capture the day.

Hope we get invited back to both of these events.

Mixing Visual and Musical Arts Makes for a Fun Evening at Garrett Arts Council

The Garrett County Arts Council (Garrett County, MD) combined their annual membership meeting on June 30 with their summer show opening at the Gallery Shop in Oakland, MD. I was flattered to be featured in the gallery and happy to see that some of my picking buddies were there to add some down home mountain music to the event. 

The evening was orchestrated by director Karen Reckner and it was her idea to add the pickers to the bill. Musicians included Pat Skipper on fiddle, Roger Kitzmiller on banjo, Bill Brenneman on bass, Jim Rayner on mandolin, Harold fike on guitar and Dave Bittinger on guitar as well. All of these guys can sing. The music was only for the opening reception but the art will be on display until August 8 so if you are in the area please stop by.  Thanks to Fabian Green for the photos. 

 

 

 

 

Red, White and Bluegrass Festival

A project that I had a lot of fun working on recently was artwork for the Red, White and Bluegrass Festival down in Morganton, North Carolina.  This popular festival takes place every year July 1 through July 4. If you live near or can arrange to be in the area, this is one to attend. It's real Americana, complete with fireworks. Check their website for details on scheduled performers. By the way, the model for the youthful fiddler is my grandson who is just getting started with the instrument. Maybe he'll be on that stage someday.

Passing It On

Summer came to our mountain this past weekend and we all know that the Bluegrass Music Festival season is here as well (Wasn't this Merlefest weekend?). The warm weather really gets the juices going and a lot of long put-off picking is happening again in garages, porches and groves all around here.

This home-grown music scene is more than just a whole lot of fun. These are the times where our culture is indeed passed along from one generation to the next. Listening leads to playing and tips from the old-timers are of immense value. Most all the good fiddlers I know started this way.

 

I call this painting "Passing It On".

The Anna S.

 

The Anna S. is another towboat I worked on this year.  She is a part of the River Salvage Company fleet.  This picture was captured on one of my visits down to the Mon.

Down To The River

Regular visitors to this blog know that your old bluegrass painter likes to paint river scenes. Above is a recent painting of the Ingram Barge Line boat, Alvin C. Johnson. Ingram Barge serves just about all of the Mississippi and Ohio river systems and is headquartered in Nashville. Wonder if there is more of a bluegrass connection than just the bluegrass painter?

Another boat I've painted recently is the Wes McDonald owned by Consol Energy. The scene below here is based on a photo I took near Elizabeth, PA on the Monongahela.

Brown Trout

This print comes matted and signed and is ready to place in an 11"x14" frame (not included).  The image area is approximately 7"x9"

$50.00 plus shipping

Please visit our Ordering Information page for details on shipping and other information. 

The original Brown Trout is available for purchase.  Please email us at info@appalchianstudio.com  for more information. 

IBMA on my drawing board

Just back from the IBMA World of Bluegrass, I'm now starting to digest the whole thing and let it come out in some artwork. This is the first and based on a scene at the Benoit Guitar booth at World of Bluegrass.  I've roughed a few things but last year I promised our friends, Anita and Carroll Benoit of Benoit Guitars that I would be doing some paintings involving resonator guitars.  Watch for some more paintings inspired by performances both on stage and in hallways.

We Sure Do Meet the Nicest Folks!

Just got back from a very special event, Art In The Park, held in Deep Creek Lake State Park. We feel very fortunate to have so much of our business and personal lives linked to both the art and music communities. 

We ran into Judith Becker, watercolor artist superb from Alpine Lake, WV.  Judy always shares good information with us and helps to make our work easier and hopefully better. We also saw old friend Jack Rickman who has retired from public school administration and devoted much of his time to wood turning. Great Stuff!

And, what can you say bad about a good fiddle player?  Mike Furbee,a brand new acquaintance, wowed us with his touch on Whiskey Before Breakfast and some other Irish and Old Time tunes. He also was gracious enough to allow your old Bluegrass Painter to scratch on his lovely Breedlove mando. Mike hails from Morgantown WV and along with his friend, Maggie Fenton, was marketing a line of hand-made soaps called Smell Like A Monkey. That booth sure smelled good. Check them out on line. Cool fragrances like Hot Dang Orangutan, Filthy Monkey, Naked Ape, Gorilla Vanilla, Gorilla Vanilla with Oatmeal and Organ Grinder.  The folks that put on this show, Garrett County Arts Council and the Western Garrett County State Park Volunteers, are the best.  Thanks!  

Art In The Park and a Gospel Music Benefit

This is the weekend for the annual Art In The Park celebration at Deep Creek Lake State Park on the shores of Deep Creek Lake in Western Maryland. I'm looking forward to taking part with an Appalachian Studio display.  The event takes place on Saturday from 10 until 5 and Sunday from 10 until 4.   If you are in the area, please stop by and see us.

The old Bluegrass Painter will be at the booth both Saturday and Sunday...and, next weekend is the gospel music benefit for reconstruction of the Mt. Beulah Methodist Church on Twin  Churches Road near Grantsville MD. Six local bluegrass and old country bands will entertain all day Saturday, July 19. Come and go as you please, lunch will be available. Funds raised will go for restoration of the historic chapel.