What an amazing way to begin the summer!
By going to an artist colony at Nimrod Hall nestled in the heart of Bath County next to the George Washington Forest. My very first sleep away camp finally, but not my last!!
This was the incredible view from my cabin.
What a fantastic place for en plein air work! I had to watch the sky carefully that morning since it was threatening rain.
My indoor studio for that week, actually part of my bedroom in the cabin.
Since I was not working with oils, I was able to set up in the same place I slept. Which made it a wonderful treat to be able to just roll out of bed and into my studio, literally about 8 feet away. Many others worked on their front porches while a few others set up in the former post office on site. Rain and wind kept me inside for most of the week.
Tres Leche-Kuba Kuba
Acrylic on Board 12"x12"
It is also a great way to finish up pieces that have been sitting around the studio at home.
Nimrod Hall has a long history dating back to the late 1700s. It has had many incarnations as a stage coach stop, resort, boys and girls camps, even a hunting lodge. Today it still serves as a vacation spot and hunting lodge. Now there are also the additions of artist and writer’s colonies in the summer. There are 5 artist colonies, each a week long. While I worked just as hard as the VCU graduate weekly intensives (well almost), it was such a treat to not have to worry about written work, deadlines and grades. And with this “tuition” meals and boarding are included. Many of us also brought our own liquid upgrades.
One of the more, um, unusual sightings of the week, two black snakes on the tree... rustic, very rustic. Think National Geographic would be interested in this?
The Nimrod Art Colony began from a group of Richmond women artist in the late 80s. Each art colony week is hosted by a different artist-in-residence with the entire 5 week program overseen by Richmond area painter, Laura Loe. We were lucky enough to have another RVA based artist, Diego Sanchez as our artist for the week. Nimrod is perfect place to collect one’s thoughts, think new deep ones and remember what life was like pre-digital age. While no great masterpieces came out of my production that week, I was recharged, refreshed and relaxed with some great new studio production ideas that have made for a very prolific summer so far.
Is it too early to sign up for next summer, Laura?
Sunrise in Bath County. Sometimes insomnina pays off
Just because every photo essay about the country should have at least one barn in it...preferably with some red on it.
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