A great way to end the year!

I spent the last day of the year painting with a dear artist friend, Clayton Proctor, in his studio gallery in West Jefferson, North Carolina. Had a GREAT time... Thanks Clayton! Check out his work on his webpage... HERE...

 



Clayton and Olivia

 

ETSY: "Last Light" by Bernie Rosage Jr.

Title: "Last Light"
Artist: Bernie Rosage Jr.
Size: 6x8"
Medium and Surface: Acrylic on gessoed panel
Price: $40

The afternoon light in the Blue Ridge Mountains is an awesome thing to behold.


Click HERE to see more detailed images and purchase safe and secure online from my Etsy Store.

ETSY: "Along the Blue Ridge" by Bernie Rosage Jr.

Title: "Along the Blue Ridge"
Artist: Bernie Rosage Jr.
Size: 8x12x1.5" Boxed ready to hang
Medium and Surface: Oil on boxed panel
Price: $125

Click HERE to see more detailed images and purchase safe and secure online from my Etsy Store.




The Blue Ridge Parkway celebrated it's 75th birthday last year. Scenes like this are too many to count along the famous highway. I never tire of driving it or painting the awesome vistas.

SOLD: "Blue Ridge Autumn" by Bernie Rosage Jr.

Title: "Blue Ridge Autumn"
Artist: Bernie Rosage Jr.
Size: 6x8"
Medium and Surface: Acrylic on gessoed panel
SOLD... Thanks Karen!


About this painting:
I never tire painting the North Carolina landscape... I live on the Carolina Coast but spend as much time in the Blue Ridge mountains as possible, all the while, painting as I journey through life.

Autumn is such a treat to experience in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The explosion of color pleases the eye at every turn!

SOLD: "Blue Ridge Home Place" by Bernie Rosage Jr.

Title: "Blue Ridge Home Place"
Artist: Bernie Rosage Jr.
Size: 6x5"
Medium and Surface: Acylic on gessoed panel
SOLD... Thanks Cathleen!

Click HERE to purchase safe and secure online from my Etsy Store.

About this painting:
I never tire painting the North Carolina landscape... I live on the Carolina Coast but spend as much time in the Blue Ridge mountains as possible, all the while, painting as I journey through life.

I spend as much time as possible in Watauga and Ashe Counties, North Carolina painting the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Scenes like this seem to pop up around every bend in the road.

Bernie

ETSY: "Road to Pilot Mountain" by Bernie Rosage Jr.

Title: "Road to Pilot Mountain"
Artist: Bernie Rosage Jr.
Size: 6x8"
Medium and Surface: Acrylic on gessoed panel
Price: $40

Click HERE to purchase safe and secure online from my Etsy Store.

About this painting:
I never tire painting the North Carolina landscape... I live on the Carolina Coast but spend as much time in the Blue Ridge mountains as possible, all the while, painting as I journey through life.

Pilot Mountain is one of the most intriguing geological wonders in the North Carolina... for that matter... the whole United States. It has drawn spectators to its splendor since the early Native Americans.

About my paintings on Etsy::
This painting, on a gessoed panel with painted sides, is easily framed, displayed with a decorative easel, or simply propped up on a shelf.

All paintings are signed originals (one-of-a-kind American made) using artist grade paints on archival surfaces with "Certificate of Authenticity" label attached.

I offer these smaller paintings at collectible prices here at Etsy as not to interfere with my obligations with the galleries that represent me. At the moment, I am a full-time college student and these small studies help offset the cost of my education. As a patron, you are also investing in my future and I cannot thank you enough.

Bernie Rosage Jr.
American Artist (and college student)

Visit my webpage at www.bernierosage.com

ETSY: "Tony's View" by Bernie Rosage Jr.

Title: "Tony's View"
Artist: Bernie Rosage Jr.
Size: 6x8"
Medium and Surface: Acylic on gessoed panel
Source: en plein aire
Price: $40

Click HERE to purchase safe and secure online from my Etsy Store.

About this painting:
I never tire painting the North Carolina landscape... I live on the Carolina Coast but spend as much time in the Blue Ridge mountains as possible, all the while, painting as I journey through life.

Last Fall, me and two artist friends had the privilaedge of studying under the great NC artist, Tony Griffin. We took a plein air workshop under Tony and painted from his cabin on the banks of the New River in Ashe County, NC. This is the view from Tony's cabin... what an spectacular place to live!

About my paintings on Etsy::
This painting, on a gessoed panel with painted sides, is easily framed, displayed with a decorative easel, or simply propped up on a shelf.

All paintings are signed originals (one-of-a-kind American made) using artist grade paints on archival surfaces with "Certificate of Authenticity" label attached.

I offer these smaller paintings at collectible prices here at Etsy as not to interfere with my obligations with the galleries that represent me. At the moment, I am a full-time college student and these small studies help offset the cost of my education. As a patron, you are also investing in my future and I cannot thank you enough.

Bernie Rosage Jr.
American Artist (and college student)

Visit my webpage at www.bernierosage.com       

Ended the year in the Mountains and began it on the Coast...

My family and I have spent the last week of 2011 in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains near Boone. Yesterday I spent the afternoon ringing 2012 in by plein air painting at the Cedar Point portion of the Croatan National Forest. I never tire of the North Carolina landscape... it is a spiritual journey for me to spend time painting it. One thing is for sure... NC is a gorgeous state from one end to the other as these photos I took within the past seven days attest to!

Bernie and Tami atop Rough Ridge near Blowing Rock, NC.

My first plein air painting of 2012.

The temp reached 70 degrees yesterday and the light was perfect! The Cedar Point hiking trail was crowded so I picked a spot off the beaten path to paint his one. I met several nice people including the nicest young couple from Alabama who make Jacksonville their temporary home compliments of the USMC.

Happy New Year everyone!
Bernie

From the field to the studio...




"Standing Artist"
circa 1845-47
John Kensett

My love of history and art mesh as one when it comes to plein air painting, especially early American plein air painting history as exercised through the Hudson River School. The Hudson River School wasn't a school but an art movement during the mid-19th century embodied by a group of landscape painters whose aesthetic vision was influenced by romanticism. The paintings for which the movement is named depict the Hudson River Valley and the surrounding area, including the Catskill, Adirondack, and the White Mountains; eventually works by the second generation of artists associated with the school expanded to include other locales. Hudson River School paintings reflect three themes of America in the 19th century: discovery, exploration, and settlement. The paintings also depict the American landscape as a pastoral setting, where human beings and nature coexist peacefully. Hudson River School landscapes are characterized by their realistic, detailed, and sometimes idealized portrayal of nature. 

Thomas Cole's Sketch Box
circa 1840


The artist Thomas Cole is generally acknowledged as the founder of the Hudson River School. Cole took a steamship up the Hudson in the autumn of 1825, the same year the Erie Canal opened, stopping first at West Point, then at Catskill landing where he ventured west high up into the eastern Catskill Mountains of New York State to paint the first landscapes of the area. The first review of his work appeared in the New York Evening Post on November 22, 1825

Cole's close friend, Asher Durand, became a prominent figure in the school as well. With the advent of photography, the need for realistic renderings gave way to the sublime as landscapes took on a more spiritual feel. There was no need to capture what a scene looked like, photography could do that, more emphasis was put on the mood, light, and feeling the artist gained from the scene and being in nature. This was the goal of the second generation Hudson River School painters (my favorites) like Frederic Church, John Kensett, and Sanford Gifford.


John F. Kensett
in his studio, 1864.

In gathering the visual data for their paintings, these artists would travel to rather extraordinary and extreme environments, the likes of which would not permit the act of painting in some cases. During these expeditions, plein air sketches and memories would be recorded and the paintings would be rendered later, upon the artists' safe return home. They would do their finished works in the studio from their sketches.


I recently returned from my own painting expedition in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina in September. I was accompanied on this journey with two of my artist friends, Mitchell Morton and Stephen Greer. The three of us and several other plein air artists had the pleasure of studying at the Florence Thomas Art School under the master artist, Tony Griffin.  

Artist Tony Griffin giving plein air
demo at the Florence Thomas Art School.

A blog post a mile long could be wrote about Tony concerning his art training, his artwork, and his workshop but I'll save that for another day. Of all the gems I brought home from his workshop the greatest was this... to capture the essence of the scene! With Tony's guidance I learned to simplify... before his workshop, I was putting too much emphasis on getting a finished painting. Tony taught me that plein air painting is a a gathering of color notes, a simplified composition, and a spiritual experience. I can still hear him saying... "Observe, Mix, and Apply" while I work at my easel. Thanks Tony! 



Bernie plein air painting along the New River.



Taking what I have learned from Tony Griffin and the Hudson River painters I now use my plein air pieces as studies for studio works. I am not so concerned about getting a finished painting in the field anymore. Below is one of the plein air paintings I did during the workshop. The scene is set along the New River in one of Tony's hidden spots.



Plein air oil sketch by Bernie Rosage Jr.
Along the New River, Glendale Springs, NC.
September 2010.

Below is the finished studio piece worked from the above sketch with the exercise of a little artistic license.

"Blue Ridge Afternnon"... 11x14" acrylic on canvas by Bernie Rosage Jr., 2010.





Thanks for dropping by... would love to hear your comments.

Bernie

Sources:
1) The Painted Sketch: American Impressions from Nature 1830-1880
2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River_School

 

Our State Magazine highlights Ashe County...

The Blue Ridge Mountains are Heaven on earth to me... Ashe County is one of my favorite spots to kayak, hike, fish, visit with old friends, and PAINT. I have probably painted over 50 paintings in the Fleetwood area alone. One of my favorite spots is the Cooper Farm along the New River in Fleetwood. Mr Cooper's barn with it's colorful quilt pattern was highlighted in the October 2010 Issue of Our State Magazine.

Below is a plein air painting that I painted this summer of Mr. Cooper's barn (photo from magazine on left)while on vacation in Fleetwood. You can see me painting there in the video below...

"Mr Cooper's Farm"... 8x10" acrylic on canvas, en plein aire by Bernie Rosage Jr., 2010.
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We had a great time vacationing in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina this summer. Plein air painting, hiking, swimming, tubing, picnicking, art galleries, festivals, concerts, story-telling, and relaxing were the order of the day! Hope you enjoy this video of our adventure...



YouTube link to our video... Blue Ridge Vacation

Something worth WINEing about!

North Carolina is rapidly becoming known as "Wine Country". Vineyards are replacing what were once tobacco fields all across the Old North State. North Carolina is home to more than 90 wineries. The number of wineries has more than quadrupled since 2001. Check out the details of NC Wineries HERE.

Among the 90 plus wineries is the New River Winery located in Lansing, Ashe County. The small winery turns out some of the best in the state and is rapidly building a reputation of superb wines.

Here's a bottle of one of their newest wines... "Winter Blush"... SUPERB indeed!

Not only to they make great wine... they promote local artists. Here's some info from their web page...

Label Art

At New River Winery we also are all about promoting the marvels of Ashe County. A large part of what is wonderful about the area is the creative people who live and work here. We are proud to share the work of some of our local artists on our wine labels.

Bernie Rosage’s “Snowy Blue Ridge” elegantly captures the serenity of a snowy winter afternoon. We found this painting on the internet and were delighted to learn that it had been painted near a family home in Fleetwood. Bernie was so gracious to allow us to use a rendition of this work on our Winter Blush label.

I am honored to have my painting, "Snowy Evening in the Blue Ridge", grace the label of Winter Blush from the New River Winery.


"Snowy Evening in the Blue Ridge""... Oil by Bernie Rosage Jr., 2008. Scene near our mountain lodge in Fleetwood, NC in Ashe County.

Blue Ridge Landscape by Bernie Rosage Jr. available now!

Title: "Along the Blue Ridge"
Artist: Bernie Rosage Jr.
Size: 8x12"
Medium and Surface: Oil on panel
Date: 2010

This original oil painting by Bernie Rosage Jr. is available for purchase at Bernie's online store at etsy.com. Purchasing is fast, secure, and as easy with the click of a button... please visit my Artistic Release Store and check out my work. Click HERE to see details about this painting.

About this painting:
The Blue Ridge Parkway celebrates it's 75th birthday this year. Scenes like this are too many to count along the famous highway. I never tire of driving it or painting the awesome vistas.

All paintings are signed originals using artist grade oils on archival surfaces. "Certificate of Authenticity" included.

Blue Ridge Bliss!

We had a great time vacationing in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains on North Carolina. Plein air painting, hiking, swimming, tubing, picnicking, art galleries, festivals, concerts, story-telling, and relaxing were the order of the day! Hope you enjoy this video of our adventure...



YouTube link to our video... Blue Ridge Vacation

WARNING: Subliminal content that will make you long for a trip to the mountains...

Tami is quite the wildlife photographer... check these scenic photos from our vacation last month to see what I mean. Warning... this video will make you want to head to the mountains ASAP!
Bernie

PS... Got a ton of reference photos for future paintings.

Arctic Blast paintings... Snow Scenes from the Blue Ridge

The United States has been hit hard this winter and finally the Arctic Blast (as it has been dubbed by our local TV forecasters) has hit Southeastern NC. Every morning I cut on my computer to look at local news, check emails, and see what's up with the weather. In fact, my opening page shows the temps for Jacksonville NC (where I live), Fleetwood NC (where our family mountain lodge is), and Oakland MD (where my wife is from)... this morning the temps read... Jacksonville @ 18 degrees, Fleetwood @ 0 degrees, and Oakland @ -9 degrees... BRRRRRRRRRR! I realize there are people throughout this great country who are laughing at my 18 degrees... the tables are turned in the summer when we get the 100+ temps and it doesn't bother us.

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Here are a few "Arctic Blast" paintings I did last year. The scenes are set in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Boone, NC.

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Click on paintings to enlarge...

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"Snowy Barn"... 6x8" Oil on Panel, alla prima, 2008.

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"Snowy Path in the Blue Ridge"... 6x8" Oil on panel, alla prima, 2008.

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"Winter's Rush"... 6x8" Oil on Panel, alla prima, 2008.

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These original oil paintings by American Artist, Bernie Rosage Jr. are available for purchase... Email Bernie about purchasing details HERE... please include the paintings title in the subject line.

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Stay warm... thanks for dropping by... feel free to leave a comment and let me know what the temperature is in your area.

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Bernie

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PS... I have included Olivia's (my Lil' painting buddy) painting that she brought home from school today...

"Blizzard Snowman and Dog"... 9x12" Watercolor and Crayon by Olivia Rosage, age 7, 1-2009.

"The Lin Cove Viaduct... a view from Rough Ridge"... Blue Ridge Plein Air by Bernie Rosage Jr.

"The Lin Cove Viaduct... a view from Rough Ridge"
Blue Ridge Mountains Plein Air
9x12" Oil on Panel, en plein aire, 11-20-2007.
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This original oil painting by American Artist, Bernie Rosage Jr. is available for purchase... Email Bernie about purchasing details HERE... please include the paintings title in the subject line.
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Click on image to see a larger view...
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One of my favorite spots on earth is Rough Ridge Lookout located at mile marker 302 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Rough Ridge is actually the backside of Grandfather Mountain and the views there are magnificent! See what I mean...
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I painted this view of the Lin Cove Viaduct from about half way up the ridge painting from a wooden lookout. I met several nice people while painting this one...
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The weather was very comfortable for late November but the wind was gusting at 40 mph at times... I had paintbrush in one hand and steadied my easel with the other.
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This painting has been in several invitational shows including, "North Carolina Landscapes... from the Mountains to the Sea"... at the Baysden Gallery in Jacksonville, NC. For that reason it is just now becoming available for auction. Read all about my plein air adventure when this one was painted... My Plein Air Adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains!
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This painting, on a gessoed panel with painted sides, is easily framed or displayed with a decorative easel.
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All my paintings are signed originals using artist grade oils and archival surfaces. "Certificate of Authenticity" included.

125 5/15

"Carriage House at Cone Manor" by Bernie Rosage Jr

"Carriage House at Cone Manor"... Blowing Rock, NC... 6x8" Oil on Panel, alla prima, 4-2008.
SOLD... Thanks again Art!
Oronogo, MO

Click on image to see a larger view...



If you ever travel the Blue Ridge Parkway be sure to stop in and see the Cone Manor near Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The house and grounds are beautiful. The site is also a horse lovers dream come true with miles of scenic trails for horseback riding. The crowning jewel is the Carriage House set on the Cone Manor grounds and the subject of this small painting.

20 1995

"Old Blue Ridge Road" by Bernie Rosage Jr

"Old Blue Ridge Road"... 5x7" Oil on Canvas Board, alla prima, 4-2008.
SOLD... Thanks again Jonathan!
Knoxville, TN

Click image for larger view...



When I think of the Blue Ridge Mountains I think of Heaven on earth. The peace and beauty they hold is something very special... ask anyone who lives there. This summer scene titled "Old Blue Ridge Road" leads the viewer into a place worth lingering for a spell.

20 2373

Snowy Evening in the Blue Ridge

"Snowy Evening in the Blue Ridge"... 5x7" Oil on Panel, alla prima, 2-2008.
SOLD... Tanks again Shirley!

Click on image to see a larger view...



The Blue Ridge Mountains are beautiful in every season... especially the white of winter. This scene captures the fluffy snow coming down one evening just before dark. Makes you want to cuddle by the fireplace with a good book.

40 4155 5/91

Winter's Rush

"Winter's Rush"... 6x8" Oil on Panel, alla prima, 1-2008.

This original oil painting by American Artist, Bernie Rosage Jr. is available for purchase... email Bernie with the title in the subject line... click HERE... for price and details.

Click on image to see a larger view...



Snow falls on the Blue Ridge and the white stillness of the river bank is contrasted in color and action by the rapid moving waters of the New River. This snowy winter scene is set along the south fork of the New River near Todd, NC. I find snow scenes like this peaceful and a joy to paint.

This painting, on a Gessoed Panel with painted sides, is easily framed or displayed with a decorative easel.

All my paintings are signed originals using artist grade oils and archival surfaces. "Certificate of Authenticity" included.

100 5/15