A River Runs Through It....

Hi Folks,
Well, summer is in full swing these days. Days and weekends are filling up for the summertime fun. I hope you can get out to see me at a show, a workshop, or a demo. Although I cannot keep the blog up current, I do try to send out emails about where I am going to be next. If you are interested in being informed, send me an email letting me know to add you to my subscription list. my email is bradshaw72@gmail.com

here are a few paintings done in the last wk or so

Morning under 3 Peak
8 x 10
Oil
$275

Sunset behind Priest
8 x 10
Oil
$275

Crabtree Rocks of Time
12 x 12
Oil
$500

Crenshaw, looking from the south
12 x 9
Oil
$375.00

Also, I am teaching a workshop this weekend for Blue Skies gallery.
There are still a few spots open if you are interested and want to know more information
here's Leslie's phone number....757 727 0028

Hope to see you all out on the road!
Take care!
Tom

It's time for a new YOU! New Year, New ways to do things.

Hey folks,
I hope you all had a great holiday season! I had an incredible one myself and if Santa was good to you all as much as he was to me we should all feel so stuffed with art supplies and armed for the new year!

This time of year I always take stock and look at my years work, annalize and set some goals for the next year and set goals on improvements. How many paintings to do this year, if I have any goals for major improvements I usually order enough small canvas's ( 6 x 8 ) for studies and usually get started on those right when the linen arrives. I stock up early because spring is right around the corner. That means I should already have met my goals, that means I need to get outside and paint. Not later, but NOW! One of the best parts of January is that the days are inherently getting longer and even though the temps are cold, painting in the winter time outside is spectacular! I have always loved the soft light, the long shadows, and the chill in the air. Summer is right around the corner and I've got to be ready for it!

Plans are for a very busy summer here with shows all over the east coast. The first being in Winter Park Florida April 20-27. This is a new event for me so it should be fun. Check back for more details soon and if you feel up to it, give me a jingle and talk about art sometime!

Have a great January! See you all further on down the road!
Tom

Stuffed....

Hey folks, nothing to debate right now in my mind, but i did want to take a few minutes of your time to say how appreciative I am to have so many followers! This Blog has tripled in yall's traffic over the past year! I can only think yall for keeping coming back to my site.

I hope yall are having a very thankful Thanksgiving weekend. For me, it's been a very relaxed and low key weekend. A great old painting friend came down to throw some paint with me. Even though I have mainly stayed inside while painting, he has stepped out and gotten in a couple paintings in between brief trips inside to warm by the fire. I salut him for braving the cold, but clear days.

It has been way to long since posting some recent images here. That is not to say that I have not put down the brush! I'm still painting nearly daily and have painted on some bigger sized canvas's. Those are alot of fun just for the sake of getting "INto" the larger pieces and spending more time on them.

Well, anywho, here are some of the paintings, Enjoy!

Pre- Easton warm ups...

Hey Folks,
I hope your summer is kicking and is as hot as it is here in Va. I just recently got back from a favorite spot up in Nelson County. This area is truly one of the most beautiful places in the state. All this rain we have had is helping to keep the area green. In just a few days I'm onto my next journey up to Easton, MD for plein air Easton. This event, if you hadn't heard, is the biggest Plein air event on the east cost. Over 200 artist come together for a quick draw painting that last 2 hours. Then all of the paintings go up for auction and awards. This quick draw follows over a week of painting by some of the nations 50 best artist. I am so humbled to be able to participate in such a wonderful event. I just hope I'm ready and have plenty of panels. For more information, please visit www.pleinaireaston.com

Here are a few of my recent paintings from the Hampton area, and my trip to Nelson County...
Hope to see you all at Easton

Fresh Cut Grass.....

Hi Folks,
Now that we are full on into the summer season here in Virginia countryside I like to say how green everything is. We are getting rain on a nearly daily basis. It's tough for the painter in more ways than one. All this green that is out there reminds me just how important mixing your greens are vs. the boring ole technique of pulling out Varidian and just using green from a tube. I have stood by my color palet system now for almost 8 years and now it is more important than ever when out mixing greens. I found this system from a class I took from Scott Christensen. He teaches a large group of students the fundamentals on color theroy and composition. His goals are to go small, time limit, and mixing accurate color. All are so vital in plein air painting. If you ever want to take a top notch workshop (I think the best in the country) look up Scott. He has a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for all painters. Oh, his palet is unmatched and I think I'll be using this palet for the rest of my life. It's so much fun mixing color and it always get's the juices flowing from the start of any scene!

Here are a few paintings from my limited palet of
Ultramarine Blue
Cadminium Yellow Light
Permanent Red Medium
and Titanium White

Thanks for looking in!
Tom

Hi Folks, Ive settled into a new place here in Smithfield, Va. The country living is something I have viewed as the ideal lifestyle. Away from everything and lots of new items to paint, including old weathered barns, distant vistas, and strong shadows that happen when you are around lots of trees. I think this new location is going to be great for me artistically and emotionally. I have been painting nearly everyday since coming out here. My work is expanding on a daily basis! It has given me a chance to realize how important art is to my soul. Here are some recent paintings...Hope you enjoy! Tom

Merry Belated Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wow, What can I say? It was an incredible Christmas for painting for me! I hope all is well with everybody. Hope you are also painting away and when not painting, visiting family, making new family, and listening to good music. It doesn't get much better than that. I have had a very busy month since last posting here. I told myself to get in a blog a couple of wks ago remotely, but it never went through and then life got involved and then the holidays....blah blah blah.... A little sum up of my last month.... I needed to do a painting in the NC. mountains for a family member who was getting married out in Blowing Rock, NC. Came back to the Coast 3 days later from snow back to the warmth of the ocean. I managed to paint outside on occasions throughout the holidays. I did get a chance to visit one of my best painting buddies on NYE right before he headed off to his venture back into society of working for a living and saving up for his trecks around the world to paint. I'd love to take one with him one day, but I can't seem to pull myself away from societies grip as well as he can. I took paintings up to a new gallery in Richmond, Ricks Frame and Gallery on Patterson Ave. If you are up in Richmond stop by and take a look at my 6 paintings I have there for show. I just dropped off a painting for the Charles Taylor Art Center yesterday. The members show reception is Sunday afternoon at 3pm 1/27. Also, this wednesday I am dropping about 6 paintings at the Norfolk Collegate show in Norfolk, Va. That opening reception and sale is next sat (1/25). All this excitement has kept me busy and not post much here on my blog. Summer workshop preparations are under way so I'll keep everyone posted as to when they are. You can also always check in with Blue Skies Gallery in downtown Hampton to see when I am teaching my next class. I have lined up to teach a workshop every Monday during the month of February. If you are interested, please check with Leslie at Blue Skies and where I have all the criteria for the workshop there.....Aaaaahhhh, did you get all that? I'm starting the year off right! busy busy.... Take care, Tom

Sunny days, or rainy days, it's painting time!

Spending some day's inside. Spending some luxurious days outside... I have had my time while painting plein air out in the elements. It's not so much fun! So when the weather has taken a turn for the worse around Hampton, I tend to stay inside. Here are a few painting's from those days.... Here are a few paintings from my journeys around this state of Va. It's been a fun couple of wks!

Coastal Reflections

Hey everybody!
The weather is here!
Wow, how the weather cures the soul. It's been some great painting weather along the Virginia coast. I almost forgot how nice it is to be around water again, and how much at home I feel being in a more humid climate. Here are a few paintings I have been working on over the past couple of wks. Things are in full color here and now with the sun higher in the sky for longer periods it makes it much easier to sneek in a painting after work! More to come shortely and hopefully as time allows more to be posted here as well!

Don'f forget to always chime in on my art! it's good to get feedback!
Tom