Spring Break time is coming soon! "Season's Transitions" was inspired by a hike on the Chimney Tops trail at Great Smoky National Park. Our hike was several years ago in an early April during Spring Break.
Some of the landscape's intriguing elements at this time of the year include the mossy logs and rocks, the plethora of rhododendrons (just starting to bloom), and the birch trees. Remnants of winter can still be seen in the lack of leaves on the trees, while the grass (and moss) begin to show their early greens.
The blue smokey mist rose from the mountain range most mornings, inviting artists and photographers to capture this unique landscape.
"Mossy Field" below also presents a typical scene of early April in the Smoky's. Mossy Field and Season's Transitions paintings were both started with a watercolor underpainting.
Cade's Cove is one of the most popular destinations in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. This verdant valley is replete with historic structures and lush fields, such as the scene below.
While on the Alum Cave trail, the venturesome hiker will cross many small waterfalls. This one in particular shows the heavy iron content in the water as indicated by the red color of the stones in the water:
Speaking of red rocks, here's a wild one. This painting was done on Wallis Sanded Paper (no longer manufactured) and took advantage of some bold pastel colors!
Finally, "Andrew's Bald" presents an expansive view of the mountains facing North Carolina. The trail is 3.5 miles and your elevation is 6,300 feet.
Time to get on your hiking boots, grab your water bottle and trail mix, and head out! There are a variety of cabin rentals in the Gatlinburg and Sevierville areas, most with hot tubs to relax after a long day of hiking. Here's a link to rental opportunities in the area.
For available paintings for purchase, visit my webpage here. My Etsy store has a coupon offering for blog subscribers. Click here to visit and take advantage of 15% off available through February 28th.
Springtime means time to go outdoors to paint! I'll be announcing plein air excursions in the Ann Arbor area soon!