Blue Ridge, Georgia is a lovely little town tucked away in the corner of the state amidst foothill mountains, lakes, rivers and pastures. The Arts Guild sponsors various national exhibits and festivals which is what drew me to the area this past weekend, September 10 -12. My studio partner, Amanda, and daughter, Sara, joined me in the trip to experience the Blue Ridge Fall Plein Aire Festival, and to share time relaxing and enjoying the mountains.
Our first day out, we took our canvases and boards to the center for stamping, and picked up information sheets about the area. Then, we drove off to seek lovely vistas and inspiring views. A fellow artist suggested the Nottley Dam area before we left the center, so we began the drive in that direction. After some winding roads and querying of residents, we finally found a recreation/camping area on the lake where we were able to set up and take in the striking picture set by the green waters we'd been told would be there. The water levels were low due to drought, so the orange and peach colored sands and boulders of the lake were exposed on the shoreline which reaches out well beyond the normal levels for the lake. However, this added lovely warm hues against the verdant color of the lake waters, and the lush foliage lining the shores, and topping the small islands. The sky was in constant flux that day, ranging from threat of rain to bright filtered light and clouds providing a challenge for our artistic approach. This is what plein aire is about after all. We all worked in acrylics this day. The picture of the island and waters (at top) was my submission from the Nottley area outing.
The next day, we wound through the mountains snapping photos and trying to find that perfect spot. The skies were bright and it looked promising. Again, we were challenged by the maps and markers for area recreation areas, but finally found a spot along the Toccoa where tubers were floating through and canoes and kayaks could put in. We had all worn bathing suits in hopes of cooling off during the outing, so we were glad to find a good spot for both painting and water play. Sara successfully braved the running waters to get to a large rock across the river. Amanda wandered up and down the banks taking pictures and looking for her spot, while I chose a large flat rock just a few feet into the waters where I placed my chair, balanced my pastel board and box of supplies precariously above the running waters. We all took a respite playing in the water a bit and then got to drawing and painting. This was only my second attempt at plein aire painting with the first workshop leaving me feeling less than enthusiastic about landscapes. However, the Toccoa river seemed to speak in a language that I could understand and the picture above, bottom, was the result of my experience. The challenge for the day was getting the picture laid down before a large thunderstorm rolled in. I was snapping photos as the first droplets fell.
Sara and I left two paintings each at the Blue Ridge Arts Center where they can be viewed during the rest of this month and first few days of October. There were several lovely paintings coming in as we left, so I encourage anyone in the area to stop by the center. It is worth the visit with many lovely exhibits and shows in the historic building.
In addition, I'd like to add a plug for the cabin we stayed in during the weekend. It is called the Dragonfly Cabin and is a lovely out of the way cabin in the mountains just south of Blue Ridge. It is a challenge for your car a short bit of the way, but worth it once there. Nice amenities, quiet and secluded. Just the right place for relaxing and getting away from life's maddening moments.
