Post 361: BRS Bird Watching

Painting Name: BRS Bird Watching

Having grown up at Blue Ridge Shores in Louisa, Virginia, I keep my eyes open for spots around the lake and great photos of the area that I might be interested in painting. This is the second photograph taken by Peter Olsen that I have asked for permission to use as inspiration artwork.

SKU: 10AO24ACG

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 14x14x1.5 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2024

Framed?: No

What Brought About this Painting?

Peter Olsen comes back to Blue Ridge Shores typically several times each summer and on Facebook, I often find and see the results of his camera. Always great photographs from around the lake, which goes by its acronym BRS and sometimes Lake Louisa. This summer of course, with the water level lowered because of the work being done on the new dam, all of the new growth of grasses made for a much different visual than is the usual. Nonetheless, Peter caught a Blue Heron and a White Egret in one photo, which also caught my eye.

I added the duck and the cardinal. Look closely to find the cardinal...

This painting is called "BRS Bird Watching" and is 14x14 painted with acrylics on a gallery wrapped canvas. I plan to bring this painting with me to the BRS Craft Fair held at the BRS Community Building on Saturday, November 23, 2024 in Louisa, Virginia.

The first photo by Peter that I asked permission to use was of an old pier on one side of the lake that was for all intents and purposes abandoned and left in disrepair for years. This is my version of his photograph, and I added a flying Blue Heron going past the broken down decking.

This painting is called "A Day at Blue Ridge Shores" and is 24x24 in acrylics on a gallery wrapped canvas. This one I will bring to the Fair as well.

See you at the Fair!

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 338: Virginia and DC Local Paintings by Donna Liguria

Collection of Local Paintings by Donna Liguria - VA, DC 

Painting my favorite local spots and where I have lived and visited has been a walk down memory lane at times. I've painted Monticello in Charlottesville; Virginia Beach, the Governor's Mansion in Richmond up to Gunston Hall in Lorton and Mount Vernon in Alexandria. From Rosemont in Berryville and Great Falls in McLean, and the ArtFactory and Train Station in Manassas, then on to see the sites in Washington DC, my paint brushes have captured some favorite places. Then living in Blue Ridge Shores in Louisa, Virginia brings forth its own memories of growing up there.

Local Art

Here is a look at most of my Virginia and Washington DC paintings. Some were sold and/or commissioned and prints are available, while some sold at various art shows or on my Etsy shop. There is usually a story behind each one.

"Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores" (SOLD)- 15x30 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia. I did several versions of this painting, with version 3 being a Commission.

Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores 2

Local art includes the local teams too! I've done a few variations of this mini 3x4 Capitals Hockey paintings on stretched canvas with mini easel, including Ovi

"Cherry Blossoms, An Annual DC Event" (SOLD) - 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Washington DC. Commissioned painting. Prints are available on Etsy

"Great Falls National Park in McLean, Virginia" (SOLD) - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; McLean, Virginia. Prints are available on Etsy

"Washington DC Cherry Blossom Explosion" (SOLD) - 11x14 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas; Washington DC

"White House Having a White Christmas" (SOLD) - 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Washington DC. This was a Commissioned painting but Prints are available on Etsy

"Main Beach at Blue Ridge Shores" (SOLD) - 16x20 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas. This painting is where I grew up in Louisa, Virginia. Prints are available on Etsy. See blog post  Blue Ridge Shores as it Once Was for some more 3x4 minis. See also the post, Growing Up Blue Ridge Shores

"A Day at Blue Ridge Shores" - 24x24 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia. There was an old stairway coming down a steep hill on one side of the lake that was falling apart from age and I wanted to capture that rickety walk down to the pier with a blue heron flying by. 

"Marina at Belmont Bay, Occoquan, Virginia" - 16x20 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Governor's Mansion, Richmond Historic VA Home Series" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Richmond, Virginia. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Gunston Hall Historic VA Home Series" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Lorton, Virginia. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Sunrise at Historic Manassas ArtFactory" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Manassas, Virginia. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Monticello Charlottesville Historic VA Home Series" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Charlottesville, Virginia. The wonderful home of Thomas Jefferson that sits above what I call the big little town of Charlottesville, Virginia. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

"Mount Vernon Historic VA Home Series" - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Alexandria, Virginia. The home of our nation's first president, George Washington. The painting and prints are available on Etsy

A mini 3x4 painting of the gazebo in Occoquan, Virginia

A mini 3x4 painting of the museum in Occoquan, Virginia

"Rosemont Historic VA Home Series" (Not Available) - 11x14 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Berryville, Virginia. Make note of the tray on the wall with champagne glasses, a bucket of ice and a champagne bottle. Prints are available on Etsy

"Spring in Occoquan, Virginia" - 12x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

"The Fish Aren't Biting at the Lake" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia. Note the fish at the bottom left next to the pier...they are looking at the guy in the boat - perhaps giggling.

"Sunrise at Historic Manassas Train Station" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Manassas, Virginia. This painting won first place in the 2022 P-Art-Ners Paint! Manassas contest. The painting and prints are available on Etsy See also Paint! Manassas

"Washington Monument Amongst the Cherry Blossoms" - 12x24 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Washington DC

"Virginia Beach" - 11x14 Acrylic on Stretched Canvas

I just posted a collection of paintings based on Harkers Island, North Carolina including Shackleford Banks, the ponies, Cape Lookout Lighthouse and more. Be sure and check out that series too. See https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2024/01/post-337-harkers-island-cape-lookout.html 

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 291: The Fish Aren't Biting at the Lake

Painting Name: The Fish Aren't Biting at the Lake

An acrylic painting by Donna Liguria of fishing on the lake at Blue Ridge Shores in Louisa, Virginia.

SKU: 02E23AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 16x20 Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2023

Framed?: No

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

Living at Blue Ridge Shores in Louisa, Virginia meant time on and around the water. From swimming to water skiing to carrying a fishing pole is and was a part of "lake life". Sometimes the fish are biting and you could look forward to a nice fish fry to occasionally, the fish weren't biting today.

Update: February 28, 2023 9:47am Here is an update to the painting

A lot of tweaking from the previous photo below?

The painting is pretty close to done - it's in the studying phase...which means I 'll look at it for a little while and put in a tweak here or there. Maybe. It will eventually end up on my Etsy page, but let me know if you like it or are interested in a print. Other Blue Ridge Shores prints are available on my Etsy page too.

Do you recognize the area of the lake this is?

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 283: Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia As It Once Was

Blue Ridge Shores As It Once Was

I did some of my growing up at Blue Ridge Shores many moons ago. Spending my teenage years there was fun and when I see the main beach when I go to visit family there, I see it as it used to be too. This series of mini BRS paintings are how I remember the days at the lake. 

From the red, blue, yellow and green umbrellas that we used to hang our beach towels from and those big red and white barrels marking the swimming area - a LOT of time was spent on that beach. A lot of those houses were not there in the background as yet either, although my aunt's house at the top of the hill certainly was.

Painting Name: BRS Memory 1

SKU: 11FO22ACM

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 3x4 Mini Stretched Canvas with Easel

Edition Year: 2022

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

There is a mini sand castle, bucket and shovel in the foreground as well.

Painting Name: BRS in 1970s 2

SKU: 11FP22ACM

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 3x4 Mini Stretched Canvas with Easel

Edition Year: 2022

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

Painting Name: BRS Main Beach Retro 3

SKU: 11FQ22ACM

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 3x4 Mini Stretched Canvas with Easel

Edition Year: 2022

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

Interested in a BRS Mini Painting? 

I also painted a series of Blue Ridge Shores Mini Paintings as they are today. All of the minis are available on Etsy @DonnaLiguriaArt - also found directly at Etsy Blue Ridge Shores

Other Blog Posts about BRS

I have written other blog posts about Blue Ridge Shores as well as painted a few other things at the lake, including some Blue Heron paintings. If you search on "Blue Ridge Shores" those should come up, here are a couple of them...

https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2022/07/post-261-day-at-blue-ridge-shores.html

https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2021/06/blue-ridge-shores-louisa-virginia.html

I hope you enjoy.

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 261: A Day at Blue Ridge Shores

Painting Name: A Day at Blue Ridge Shores

Thanks to photographer Peter Olsen for the use of his wonderful snapshots of his visits to Blue Ridge Shores in Louisa, Virginia and the influence for several paintings I have done of BRS. And thanks to the Beckett's at BRS for those boat rides around the lake on summer evenings with my mom, bro and sister-in-law.

SKU: A Day at BRS 7-27-22 B

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 24x24 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Edition Year: 2022

Framed?: No

Check availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

Growing up at BRS was a wonderful experience for the most part and I've written about that before, and it's quite nostalgic - every visit. I've had this painting in mind for awhile, and finally started it while in Richmond, Virginia - house sitting, dog and cat sitting for a cousin with my aunt. My cousin's husband has an art studio in the pool house (thanks for the use, cousin!...for the POOL and the ART STUDIO!) so I set up my canvas on the easel with my paints.

When I asked Peter for permission to use his photo of the old stairs down to the pier, I believe he said they are no longer there. Someone must have cleaned that lot up but the black and white photograph of them was definitely not only striking, but a long memory of life around the lake, from years ago, having a boat and skiing around the lake and more recently boat rides with the Beckett's and family.

Painting in Progress Images…

Watch the painting as it progresses!

It's coming along, more to go though! Stay tuned for updates.

Wednesday, July 13, 2022 - Now I think I can call this one done. Tweaked it and tweaked again.

July 27, 2022 2:30 PM and I continued to tweak

Not sure if I like the previous one better or not, as you can see, the water changed. One of those, "to tweak or not to tweak, that is the question". Ugh. 

July 31, 2022 7:33 PM What can I say?

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.

*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 157: Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia - v.3, Acrylic 15x30

Painting Name: Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores, Louisa, Virginia v.3

In some previous posts about Blue Herons at Blue Ridge Shores, and "Growing Up Blue Ridge Shores", this is my third in a series of 4 blue heron paintings of various sizes (and a commissioned work!).

SKU: 07CD21ACG

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 15x30 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Price: SOLD

Edition Year: 2021

Framed?: No

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

Blue with His New Owner and in His New Home

Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores with his new owner, Gina - of BRS and Ashburn!

What Brought About this Painting?

"I want it bigger." Those words can be music to the ears of an artist. I had previously painted 2 smaller Blue Herons at BRS paintings that were only 10x20, so a bigger one? Absolutely!  So here is the new Blue at 15x30 on a gallery wrapped canvas. Varnish and wiring will happen here shortly along with his "photo shoot." 

See the Painting in progress at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/2021/07/blue-heron-at-blue-ridge-shores-3-15x30.html

What kind of artist would I be if I didn't have my next canvas on my mind? Actually, the next several canvases! I am thinking - jellyfish.

Do you like my paintings? Do you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member? If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.

Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Post 156: Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores 4, 5x7 Acrylic Painting

Painting Name: Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores 4

A painting tip if there ever was one. Do you have leftover paint after mixing it up for a certain painting? Start a smaller version of it to use that paint up!

SKU: 07CG21AC

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 5x7 Stretched Canvas

Price: SOLD

Edition Year: 2021

Framed?: No

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

While mixing up a color for a painting, especially back ground colors, I find it useful to use up that paint on another canvas or two of any size necessary and do another version of the same theme. This is my fourth version of Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores and he is only 5 by 7 - someone expressed interest in a much larger version (hence, the commission of BH at BRS 4 [15x30]) and another person was interested in a smaller painting.

Well, sometimes you just paint with hope that maybe this one will connect with the right person...

I may tinker a tad bit more with him and I see sunlight from the window across this mini painting so an update will be necessary.

Find him here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1038032196/blue-heron-great-blue-heron-blue-heron?ref=shop_home_active_1&frs=1

Shop, Share, Follow, Like, Comment and do all the social things for my painting Artworks!

See the Share options and Where to Find Me Links.

Commissions are open!

To Shop for paintings, please go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.

Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comments are welcome!

Post 154: Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores 3, 15x30 Gallery Wrap Acrylic Painting

Painting Name: Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores 3

Apparently I have a Blue Heron series going on! Various sizes of the same bird.

SKU: 07CD21ACG

Medium: Acrylic

Size: 15x30 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas

Price: SOLD

Edition Year: 2021

Framed?: Yes

Check Availability and Prints on my Etsy Shop

What Brought About this Painting?

I recently painted a 10x20 Blue Heron at Blue Ridge Shores painting and it sold before I even completed it! I had a lot of people asking about it, so I did a second version of the "BH at BRS 2" - also 10x20 but slightly different. While on vacation at the end of June, I met a very nice lady at Blue Ridge Shores that LOVED "BH at BRS 2" but she wanted one larger for her place. Hence, this commissioned work "BH at BRS 3".

Gesso is the beginning of nearly every painting so its anywhere from 3 to 5 coats with plenty of dry time in between. Let the Gesso begin...Meanwhile on the easel, a couple of mini paintings going on while the Gesso dries. (Play the Jeopardy music here.)

Have a peek at my Etsy Shop if you haven't already https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt

Painting in Progress Images…

Everyone has seen a blank canvas so there is no need to post an image of that and watch it drying. Images will be posted once Blue starts being somebody...

Tuesday, July 13, 2021 8:46 AM Progress thus far since early on this Tuesday morning. A long way to go but shapes are forming.

Tuesday, July 13, 2021 1:04 PM The floating legless Blue Heron...

Wednesday, July 14, 2021 9:10 PM - Didn't get a lot done on BH at BRS 3 today but I did notice the Blue Herons are multiplying....

Left to Right: Blue Heron at BRS 2, Blue Heron at BRS 3, and I did a quick knocked of BH at BRS 4 who is a 5x7. Useful sometimes to use the paint you have already mixed up and do a mini guy.

BH at BRS 4 Mini is 5x7. I'll need to make a separate post for this little guy and get him on Etsy.

Back to Blue Heron 3 tomorrow.

Friday, July 16, 2021 3:04 PM - a busy week. A bit slower on this painting than I wanted to be. He's coming along though. Now he is eying me.

Update: Monday, July 19, 2021 12:12 PM - I wasn't happy with Blue's legs, so I am redoing them. 

Wednesday, July 21, 2021 12:48 PM - Alrighty, I think Blue is about there. I will look him over for a bit to see if he needs any tweaking, then its on to varnishing, wiring and presenting him to the new owner!

Shop, Share, Follow, Like, Comment and do all the social things for my painting Artworks!

See the Share options and Where to Find Me Links.

Commissions are open!

To Shop for paintings, please go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/DonnaLiguriaArt to shop my available Artwork.

Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comments are welcome!