Bryarpatch Artistry

What a wonderful summer! Kids are out of school, trail ride work has picked up and weekends are full of friends and family!

Thanks to Michele Sommers of Sommers End Originals, and her friend Annie of Gourmet Delights, Gifts and Framing I have been pulled into artwork. Annie sponsored me to paint a paddle for Front Royal, Virginia's On The River '09. The idea that came to me turned out to be more work that I really had time for, but I did as much as I could to make my paddle as close to my vision as possible. You can see my paddle, as well as many of the other 50 paddles on the walls of the Visitors Center located on Main Street in Front Royal, VA.

Reflection

Front Royal, Virginia is the Canoe Capital of Virginia. Since I live right next to the Shenandoah River, I chose to reference that river, as well as Virginia as a whole. The name Shenandoah is from an Algonquian word meaning, "Daughter of the Stars". I covered the paddle with carvings of dogwood flowers, flows of water, and cardinals. Then on the front of the paddle I painted a reflection of a Native American maiden. I named the paddle Reflection, in hopes that looking at it, and into the river with her face will cause the viewer to reflect on the Shenandoah River of old. The one from which the natives drank, and caught fish to eat: Two things in which we can no longer partake. Oh how we have changed.