Trees along the Carriage Lane

My sister's post today is about trees. http://pvedesign.blogspot.com/2009/08/trees-of-life.html I'm a tree lover as well.
I'm posting this painting of mine from last Fall at the Horse Park in Lexington Ky. Horse drawn carriages ride down this lane in the shade of the large trees there.

Hogan's Fountain - Catch the Light

Two Turtle Fountains _ Yandell and Bernini

Our plein air group continues to paint in the parks around town. I was inspired to get a head start on the next location - Cherokee Park. This fountain graces an area of the park and was designed by Enid Yandell(she also created the statue down the hill from this - of Daniel Boone). The sculptress also worked in Paris for a time with Auguste Rodin. The fountain features Pan holding up his pipes calling the woodland creatures and served, at its installment in 1920, as a watering basin for horses and dogs. In this small study I am capturing the light on the fountain and added a mom pushing a stroller with baby on board.

I look forward to returning and adding the details en plein air. Including the turtles! The turtles - four of them- sit perched on the top edge of the fountain where the water spouts from their mouths. I saw a fountain with similar turtles years ago in Rome. My Uncle Dominic Mattei had encouraged me to see this fountain - he called it the turtle fountain. Little did I know that the fountain was located in Piazza Mattei in the Trastevere. When I paint the turtles in the sun this week I will remember him.

The Dahlia Parasols

I took this photo last year in a small park near my sis's where I was enchanted by these huge dahlias(dinnerplate?). The gardener had 'planted' parasols strategically in order to shade the flowers and preserve their colors and blooms. Look how the parasol's color is reflected on the petals!

Crater Lake

Alas, we have one more day before returning home. Leaving the beauty of these mountains will be sad but we will return refreshed! And we hope to come back. An added and uncalculated attraction in Aspen has been the Aspen Music Festival. Celebrating its 60th anniversary this summer, it provides the finest in classical music and gives young performers the opportunity to work with world-renowned artists. Yesterday I attended the Aspen Festival Orchestra's rehearsal in the big tent and delighted to hear "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." www.aspenmusicfestival.com

Let It Bloom

I found these beautiful dahlias across from the Esceola Lodge in Linville when I visited there. Summertime is so lush and unstoppable in its unfolding petals of living. Take a minute to stand back and admire.

Peace of the mountain

This weekend hubby and I walked a lovely trail in the Appalachians in North Carolina. I've hiked the area many times but never when the rhododendrons were in full bloom. They are so lovely and I paused and looked back to capture them on film and saw this patch of peaceful light coming through - a spotlight on the flowers and the trail.

To the Pavilion

Here is the pavilion painting fresh from easel and time machine! I added a woman and child approaching and their dress is what would have been worn at the time the pavilion was built 100 years ago.