A Road Not Often Traveled....A palette knife painting.

Covered bridges are symbolic of a time in our nation's history when life was simpler, and travel was limited to horse and buggy or horseback or just plain walking.  Many of these old buildings dot the landscape along roads that are out of the mainstream of traffic.  I used to think that New England was the main area for finding covered bridges but they can show up in many of our states.  Remember the movie "The Bridges of Madison County?"  Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep brought attention to a set of covered bridges in the mid-west through their romantic story.  Some of these structures are sill in use today though limited to light weight traffic.  Others are strictly for looking at or at best for walking through.  Such photogenic buildings allow us a brief flight of fancy back to a time when life was less complicated than it is today.  This  small painting is avaiable by contacting the artist.  Enjoy!

Sunflower Miniature Palette Knife Painting in oil

After finishing painting I decided to use up some left-over paint making small paintings on 4x5 masonite I happened to have on hand.  Painting a sunflower is always fun and that bright cheery blossom makes a perfect ending to the day.  Fortunately I found 4 frames at an antique shop that take 4x5 pictures so this palette-knife painting and 3 others yet to come will be sold in a brown-toned frame.  All this for $25 and you will go a long way for a better bargain.  If interested, contact me at pwhitacre@att.net.  Enjoy!

Great Blue Heron

Large wading birds such as this heron are common visitors to the wetlands especially in Everglades National Park.  The Great Blue is a magnificent combination of blues, grays and whites.  Long necks allow for fishing in shallow waters as well as preening feathers on his back.  These birds are frequently seen in areas around ponds and lakes that provide small fish for their dining pleasure.  Long legs allow them to shadow the area over the fish they are seeking and they strike faster than the human eye can follow.  Winter brings many varieties of wading birds to the lakes and ponds in the Park.  This painting is 20x10 and is available directly from the artist.  Contact at pwhitacre@att.net.

Great White Heron

These large wading birds are a frequent resident of southern areas of the country.  These paintings were made from photographs taken in Everglades National Park.  Winter months are a great time in this Park to observe many types of wading birds both large and small.  The green mark between this bird's beak and eyes denotes the breeding season.  Their long necks can be twisted around easily for preening feathers and checking out the neighborhood!  Wading through shallow waters, they forage for small fish upon which to dine.

Sunflowers in Blue Vase

Sunflowers are popular subjects for paintings and the colors of blue and yellow go well together.  This 16x20 painting shows off both the color and the subject.  It is available directly from the artist.  Contact at pwhitacre@att.net. 

Barn in Moonlight

This small red barn is located in Central Virginia quite near the Bllue Ridge Mountains.  Though it doesn't appear to be in use at this time it does make a great subject for photographs and paintings.  This palette knife painting is 9x12 in size and is available directly from the artist.  Contact at pwhitacre@att.net.  This painting has been sold.

Barn Owl Portrait

Owls have always fascinated me and many other people as well.  as dark, staring eyes and the ability to seemingly turn their heads completely around make them a creature we admire.  But their hunting skills are perhaps more amazing than anything else.  Being able to photograph them is not easy due to their nocturnal habits, but wildlife refuges that take care of injured birds and mammals make it possible to get up close and personal with many hard to find  animals.  This 6x6 inch palette knife painting in oil on canvas is available directly from the artist.  Contact at pwhitacre@att.net or 865-932-6729.  Enjoy!