Paintings by Cheryl Hill: 2009

Thursday, November 19, 2009

"Nice Spot for a Picnic"

This painting is from another photo I took while flagging. I remember this day, it was really hot and humid. I've always love this spot it has a wonderful view of the mountains even though you can't see them in this painting. I can just imagine having a nice log cabin with a tin roof and a nice sized front porch. To be able to sit outside and breath in the fresh air and look at what god has provided us with. (If what they say is true, that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, then God's eyes must truly be beauty).

"Roots of Rock Castle Creek"

This is from a photo I took during a pee break while flagging for VDOT. That's the price you pay for working outside. No luxuries, some people might think this is bad, using the bathroom outside but, when you have to go and there is no bathroom around for miles you just go where you can.

I enjoyed my days of flagging I seen many beautiful places and things. Patrick County in Virginia is loaded with them, ( I just wish I had had a camera with me for all of the years I worked on the road). The people there just have that down home goodness about them. I'm going there next week to get me some of the best apple butter I've ever tasted. Compliments to the Woolwine Fire and Rescue.

Monday, November 2, 2009

"Saturday Afternoon Sketch of Darrell"

This is a colored pencil sketch of the best man alive, Darrell. It is not for sale so I won't go into details about it.

"Smokin' Bass Player"

This is from a photograph that I took of Darrell (a.k.a. "Panama" from the bands that he played in locally) playing his bass. It was during one of their jam sessions and Kevin's home. We were living in Culpeper, VA at the time when he decided he wanted to be in a band after many years of not being in one. He finally hooked up with some guys, Barry, Eugene, Kevin and Russell. They called themselves The Lawrence Creek Band.

They were starting to sound pretty good until Darrell was feeling himself getting sick and had to quit the band. He got sick and wound up in the hospital for over a month. We couldn't afford to stay there so we moved back home to Ringgold.

I'm glad we moved back home but, I wish I could have seen him perform on stage. He's plays the bass extremely well.

"Going Home"

This horse is on his way home from a day frolicking with his playmate all day. He has to cross the lake everyday just to have a little fun. Tonight he is guided by the full moon as he makes his way back home. I'm sure he enjoyed his day.

This painting is not for sale

"The Green Sea"

This was my first attempt at painting the ocean, sea. It remained in my port folio for a long time until I decided to change pictures in a frame where this now rests.

It looks like a storm is coming, the sea is choppy. The wind is starting to pick up speed and the birds are having a hard time navigating through the up and down drafts. Maybe the storm will last a long time or maybe it'll be short lived.

"Barn with Buckboard"

This is a painting that was done long ago. It is not for sale.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

"Antique"

I got the idea for this painting from some little metal cars that my son got for Christmas one year (wonder if he still has them). Made a sketch of one of them, transferred it to the paper and drew the old farm house.

It makes me think of days gone by, wondering who rode in the car and lived in the house. What their life was like. Were they happy? Probably so, life seemed to be much simpler back then than it is now. Family meant a lot, you knew who your neighbors were. Not much crime, you made the best of what you had.

"Old Friends"

This is an oil painting that I did back in the early '90's. My brother took the photograph of myself and a friend I grew up with. It was taken up on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mabry's Mill. I did not use the background in the photo, only the subjects. It was a cold cloudy day, since I'm not much on cold, I decided to warm it up. To me it looks like it's warm and cold.

This is not for sale, it holds sentimental value to me.

"Blue Lake"

This is another one of Cheryl's imagination paintings. This one didn't take me very long to do. It was like splish splash and there it was. It looks like a nice place to clear your thoughts. It has lost edges, you'll see a lot of that in my watercolors. No need for matting. It is one of my favorites.

"Sanville Home"

This is a little scene that was across the road from where I lived in Sanville, VA. It is not for sale. I just wanted to post it. I took it out to clean the glass and I seemed to have put it back in crooked.

Friday, October 30, 2009

"Fourteen Legs"

This is a little farm scene that just came together. Didn't really have a plan for what I was painting. It's no place in particular, except in my head down to the colors and the brush onto the paper.

I was trying to come up with a name for it for a long time. I painted it about four or five years ago. The name finally dawned on me when I began this blog. When I dug it out of my port folio I didn't think I had signed it. So I put my John Henry on it, took the picture for the blog, and got ready to post it then I realized I had already signed it. So I got my brush with water and erased it.

So here it is for all the world to see.

Oh my goodness, I see four more legs, oh well!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Well, no more publishing of posts tonight. Buggy is in my lap and trying to walk over everything.

"The Thin Red Line"

I got the idea for this one from a doodle I did during my lunch break. I flagging for VDOT at the time. Being a flagger can get pretty tiresome. Standing and walking all day in the hot sun and in the cold gusty winds. We took our lunch break at the state shed on top of the mountain. Everyone was inside, I felt like some peace and quiet and a comfortable seat. I ate my lunch outside in the pickup and drew this doodle when I got finished.

It was a bigger size but, I trimmed it down because the tape pulled up some of the paper that was being used for a border.

"Lone Fisherman"

Here's someone looking for some food. Is he fishing for himself or fishing for family and friends? He could be fishing because he finds it relaxing, no worries nor hustle and bustle of the city. Just him the fish, the pesky insects, the birds,(where? I don't see any. Maybe if he checks his bucket of worms they might be there.) the trees, the sky and the water. Not a care in the world except whether he's going to hook THE BIG ONE!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I was looking at my posts today and I made a booboo spelling of winter. It's in my post of "Beyond the Fence Line".
Gee I wonder what I was thinking of there? It must have been how cold it always felt there in the winter, you know, fingers numb and all.

"Road Block"

I started this painting with something else in mind but, it just didn't turn out that way. I was shooting for a horse and buggy but hit a road block so I chopped the tree down and made it fall across the road. That's when I came up with the name. I only used one brush that I found a long time ago (1/2 inch flat).

Saturday, October 24, 2009

I think I'll give this posting a rest for now. I'm still in my nightgown and here it is 11:20 in the a.m. I'll be back in a couple of days to add some more.

"Beyond the Fence Line"

This is a little scene I remember seeing in my days of flagging for VDOT in Patrick County. I didn't paint it exactly the way it really is.

It had many more trees along this barbed wire fence. There was an old chimney that remained from an old farm house. I think the road number was 710. It was a nice place to flag in the summer due to all the trees but, boy in the witner time it was BRRRR!

"Willow"

This is a watercolor doodle of a willow tree. I'm trying to paint almost everyday and this is what you might call practice.

"Mountain Shed, Mountain Laurel"

I seen this little old shed in a yard of a friend of mine and placed it somewhere in the back of my mind for future reference. So there came a time when I got laid off from work and decided to reach back in that ol' head of mine to paint it. I added the background trees with the laurel bushes in front and on the side. It is centered on the paper.

"Splash of Autumn"

This is a somewhat smaller version I did of a larger painting that I kind of got muddy with the color. (had to pause there for a minute to take my vitamin) It is centered in the middle of the paper.

"Basket of Flowers"

Darrell found these silk flowers while at work and brought them home. I put them in this basket that was given to me and decided to paint them. I haven't done many floral paintings. I thought it turned out pretty well.

"Kiss My Ass"

Here's a watercolor using only one brush, angular shader, and tones of alizarin crimson. Darrell walked in while I was painting this one and said, "It looks like it says Kiss My Ass". So I decided to name it that.

"Potted Tulips"

This was painted from some tulips I bought for my darling valentine. I should've painted them when they were fairly fresh. When I decided to paint them the petals had already started to fall off. I saved the bulbs but, since the move from Culpeper to back home I seem to have misplaced them. Maybe they will turn up somewhere.