The Bluegrass Painter

In Full Swing...

The Our Town Theater Christmas Market in Oakland, MD is the unofficial start of the season for us. Great turnout, music, arts and crafts and lots of fun with weather more like a spring day than early December. If you didn't make it this year put it on your calendar for next. 

 

Our Town Theatre Christmas Market

If you are near Oakland, MD this weekend stop by and visit us at the Our Town Theatre Christmas Market being held in St. Peter's Catholic Church social hall on Saturday. That's December 3, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Plug Rte 135 and 4th street into your GPS.

There will be many vendors and we will have some new work to show along with our line of winter and Christmas cards. Pictured here is a watercolor on canvas, Winter Rush. Finished image size is 30 X 40 inches.

"Tennis Week"

This is art I produced for the Mountain Lake Park Tennis Club for the 90th annual Western Maryland Tennis Championship.  The Western MD Championships are the oldest sanctioned tournament in the state and "Tennis Week" has been a tradition in Garrett County since 1915. 



Prints were sold during the event, held August 4th - 7th,  and are still available for purchase here.

Deep Creek Lake Art & Wine Festival

Next weekend is one of my favorite events of the year - the annual Deep Creek Lake Art & Wine Festival.  Attendees get to visit with over 30 outstanding artisans while sampling wine from local and national wineries and the event benefits the Western Potomac Chapter of the American Red Cross. If my memory serves me correctly, this will be my fifth year to exhibit at the event.   I'm planning on exhibiting mostly from my works on canvas and have a number of new pieces to present this year.   If you are attending, please stop by and say hello. 

Garrett County Artist Studio Tour - July 30 and 31

I'm looking forward to the upcoming Garrett County Artist Studio Tour once againt this year.  I participated last year and really enjoyed the event.  Artist and friend Judith Becker will be joining me again this year.  We hope to see you. 

Weekly Drop in "Open Studio" Sessions at Deep Creek Lake

I'm trying something new this summer in Garrett County.  Starting this week through the end of September, I've scheduled "Open Studio" sessions on Friday mornings from 10am - 12:00 pm at my studio in the Turkey Neck area of the lake.  These are drop in working sessions with an opportunity to paint while discussing various topics and trying new techniques.  Artists of all levels are invited to attend.   Simply show up with your regular painting supplies ready to work.   Participants are free to drop in for any or all sessions, and do not have to pre-register or commit to any i[ front.  While pre-registering is not required, feel free to drop me a line at rhyonke@gmail.com or call 412-445-1283 to let me know you're coming so I can be on the lookout for you.  The cost of is $20 payable by cash or check at the beginning of each Friday session.    Coffee will be on.

Studio Visitor

In Garrett County it's common to hear stories about how bears visited one property or another.  Appalachian Studio has a new bear visitor in our midst, thanks to a project of the Western Garrett County State Park Volunteers.    "Discover the Bears, Carve a Memory" will be a self-guided tour of the area for participants to locate specially designed bear sculptures.  The program has been created to bring art to public spaces and raise money for the Forest Canopy Walkway planned for Deep Creek Lake State Park.  

The bears will be decorated by local artists, including your Bluegrass Painter, and displayed from Memorial Day through Autumn Glory at sponsoring businesses throughout Garrett County. 

Here is a photo of my bear in the raw...

 

 

 

Next Stop: Our Town Theatre's 4th Annual Christmas Market

Thanks to the folks at Our Town Theatre in Oakland, MD for inviting me to be a part of their annual Christmas Market at St. Peter's Parish Social Hall on December 4th. Below is a press release regarding the event: 

On Saturday, December 4th, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Our Town Theatre's 4th Annual Christmas Market will be held at St. Peter's Catholic Church Parish Social Hall, as part of Oakland, Maryland’s “A Small Town Christmas.” OTT’s Christmas Market will enable shoppers to support Garrett County artists and contribute toward Our Town Theatre's Backstage, which is the scenery, costume and prop shop on Center Street in Oakland, Maryland. Market activities include shopping for handmade gifts, a Christmas Cafe with chili and Fair Trade coffee and tea, Bake Sale, and Christmas music and readings.

New artists this year include Robert Yonke, who will be selling his acclaimed watercolors and note cards, and Paul Dixon, who will be selling his handmade soy candles, soaps, and fragrances.

Handmade fine stoneware, nature photography and cards, art glass jewelry, ornaments, bottle stoppers; crocheted, hand-knit and felted gifts, animals, and dolls; wooden puzzles, baskets, cutting boards, handmade rugs, silk Christmas flower arrangements and wreaths; sock animals, Gortner folk art, handmade Christmas cards, Amish cookbooks, Fair Trade coffee, tea, and chocolates; and sign-up for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares are some of the gifts shoppers can choose at OTT’s Christmas Market on December 4th.
      
OTT’s Bake Sale at the Christmas Market will feature festive plates of confections and cookies ready for holiday party tables and gift giving. Pre-order "Reggie's Favorite Dog Biscuits" for $3 per dozen, by calling OTT at 301-334-5640. Leave a message with your name, phone number, and number of dozens. Pay for your order at OTT's Christmas Market on December 4th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Orders will be taken until 11/30/10.
      
Musicians playing during the Christmas Market include Lynn Grimm on hammered dulcimer, Marci McClive of Marsh Mountain Consort, Sherri Remley on Celtic harp, and the Our Town Theatre Christmas Band. Members of Garrett Reading Council will read holiday children’s books for young shoppers at 12:45 and 2:45 p.m. 
        
50/50 raffle tickets will also be sold, and the drawing will be held Saturday at the Christmas Market. The winner will not need to be present. A door prize will be given away every hour. OTT’s board encourages all to come and support local artists and theatre at OTT's Christmas Market. For more information, call OTT at 301-334-5640.

Watercolor Workshop at Deep Creek Lake - last chance to enroll

Don't forget, this is the last week to enroll for the watercolor workshop I'm presenting at the Deep Creek Lake Discovery Center on November 16, 17 and 18.  Sponsored by the Garrett County Arts Council, the purpose of this workshop is to help watercolor painters develop their own distinctive style and further their painting career.   Artists will be encouraged to experiment with new ways to manipulate and control water soluble media. An emphasis is placed on creativity being spawned in the sketchbook and fostered at every stage of completing a painting. This is a participatory workshop with lots of discussion, constructive critique, sharing of ideas and techniques and lots of fun. This workshop is not a demonstration based program. Participants are pointed at developing their own style, not that of the workshop leader.   The cost for the three day session is $75.00.  

To enroll, contact the Garrett County Arts Council at 301-334-6580.  

 

Autumn Glory

This upcoming weekend is the annual Autumn Glory Festival in Garrett County.  I'll be exhibiting at the Heritage Craft Fest in Broadford Elementary School at booth #12.  The arts and crafts show is presented by the Garrett County Arts Council.   The show is open from 10 am until 6 pm on Saturday and 12:00 until 4:00 pm on Sunday.