Blog

A few days ago, I announced to Marie that early the next morning, I was going to take her on a mystery painting mission. After packing the car with my Open Box M, other painting supplies, cold water, and snacks, we headed out shortly after 6 a.m. Passing one of our favorite spots, Rock Spring on the Natchez Trace Parkway, she began to wonder what our destination was. Crossing the Tennessee River near the Colbert Ferry, she became even more curious. We turned toward Buzzard Roost Springs and then toward Iuka, Mississippi, on Highway 72. After crossing Big Bear Creek, we traveled onto County Road 172. Soon she learned that our intended destination was Eastport Beach on the banks of Pickwick Lake. We agreed that this is a painter's paradise with all of the patterns of light and shadows of its clapboard cottages, boathouses, and fishing boats on the water. White yucca plants lined the two-lane road leading to Gilligan's Restaurant and Grill. Cypress trees reflected in the water. The beautiful vistas of Pickwick Lake were breathtaking. Scenes along the bank reminded us of those we have seen on the coast of Maine. A flock of Canadian geese glided by on the water. We soon settled on painting a pretty little cottage near the water. Two young girls, with their Mason fruit jars of cherry KoolAid, were fishing with their grandfather. They watched me paint until they puttered away in their aluminum boat to catch a kettle of brim. Then the only sounds we heard were the pecking of a woodpecker in the tree overhead and the occasional cooing of a dove. Our mystery painting mission turned out to be a fun adventure for both of us.

On Mother's Day, May 13, 2007, Tommy Thompson decided to do something totally different. He painted en plein air while the Nashville Symphony entertained in Crockett Park in Brentwood, Tennessee. He attracted many curious onlookers since they had never observed anything quite like this, but all agreed the plein air painter added a nice ambience to the afternoon. Stay tuned for a glimpse of the final rendition of "Symphony in Oil."

May 12 found us painting poppies in the garden of Diane and Frank May of Nashville. The garden is beautiful, and the hospitality of the Mays is exceptional. Several members of the Chestnut Group joined in the fun, including Cynthia Crook, Claudia Williams, Calvin Shiver, and Frank May.

Artist/collector Richard Rhodes of Brentwood, Tennessee, entertained the Portrait Society Faculty and his artist friends during the meeting in Reston, Virginia. Richard and Tommy Thompson have taken oil painting workshops together, and they have enjoyed plein air painting around the Nashville area. At the party, we enjoyed seeing many friends including Michael Shane Neal, Dawn Whitelaw, Scott Burdick, and others. At the same time we had the pleasure of making new friendships with many other portrait artists, including David Beynon Pena of New York City (Several years ago David painted a portrait of the late Senator Howell Heflin of Tuscumbia, Alabama); Ms. Dolores Vestrich of Falls Church, VA; and Johnnie Liliedahl and her husband Ralph of La Porte, Texas.

May 10 proved to be an inspiring day for us. At the invitation of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and the Alabama Plein Air Painters, Tommy Thompson painted the "Hill Garden Lily Pond." Observers for the paint-out were members of "Leadership Birmingham," part of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Fred Spicer, Director of the Gardens, welcomed us to the Gardens. Other members of the Alabama Plein Air Painters that we had the pleasure of meeting included Nancy Harper of Huntsville and Ken and Elma Schablow of Childersburg, Alabama. A welcome treat for the day was provided by talented students from the Alabama School of Fine Arts. A string quartet from the school serenaded us while two drama students performed excerpts from Shakespeare--Chelsie Miller as Phoebe from "As You Like It" and Jonathan Mclernan as Arial from "The Tempest."

Tommy Thompson and wife Marie enjoyed meeting many portrait artists at the Portrait Society of America meeting in Reston, Va, during May 3-5. They were inspired observing such portrait artists as Michael Shane Neal, assisted by Dawn Whitelaw; Scott Burdick; Everett Raymond Kinstler; Jason Bouldin; and Margaret Baumgaertner.

According to Canadian artist Robert Genn, May 1 heralds the beginning of outdoor painting for the year. Tommy Thompson began the month painting at Aldridge Gardens in Birmingham, at the invitation of the Alabama Plein Air Painters. Welcoming us to the Gardens were Mr. Larry Quick, Executive Director, and Ms. Beverly Bates, Communications Coordinator. Aldridge Gardens is known for its numerous varieties of hydrangeas. May 1 proved to be a very beautiful beginning to plein air painting in Alabama because of the beauty and hospitality of the Aldridge Gardens.