Rocky Knob, Virginia on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Floyd

Rocky Knob is a magic place with thousands of potential paintings. These two are just a few angle degrees apart (the mountain partly showing on the right side of the top one, is the mountain in the bottom one), but two different seasons. The ribbon in the top one is the BRP. You can see in the bottom one cuts through a bald. What I didn't include were all the black cows that slowly wandered into view. They keep the bald a bald. This is at Saddleback (Saddle?) overlook, just north on the trail from the parking lot, an hour south of Roanoke, close to Chateau Morrisette and Floyd, around mile 169. There is a little visitors center and a campground nearby, both open seasonally. I use my internal frame backpack to carry everything. Run for cover when you hear thunder.  -- Anne Pfeiffer

Cherry Blossom Trail, Greenfield Center, Cloverdale, Virginia

I did this pastel painting looking across the pond at the Greenfield Center, via the Cherry Blossom Trail this past summer. What a fantastic place to paint. I have another one from another angle that I did this fall. I'll post that as well after I catch up on my photography.  You will probably want something on wheels to help you carry your stuff along the dirt and loose, fine gravel path.-- Anne Pfeiffer

Cahas Mountain Overlook on Blue Ridge Parkway

I did this pastel painting plein air at the Cahas Mountain overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway this summer. It was very hot in the valley and quite a few people were driving on the parkway to get out of the heat and stopping at the overlook. It was overcast that day as you can see. I set up my easel and halfway through the painting, a mom and her daughter drove up, got out of their car with their books and just sat on the grass reading. I imagined it must have been sweltering in their house, or else they just needed to be outside but out of the heat. At some point it started sprinkling, which is bad news for a pastel painting. I covered everything up and waited, then went back to painting. This painting sold at our 202 Market Gallery opening, December 7th.  --- Anne Pfeiffer

Mason Mill Park

Mason Mill is just off Hollins Road in Roanoke. Creek scenes (both tranquil and rocky), a small dam and pond, and a mill. It's drive up and paint (DUAP) but no restrooms. If you walk across the road there are smooth-water scenes of curving Tinker Creek with great shadows.

The video--sorry about the water spots on the lens!--was done in late September from location A on the map below. The photo and painting (not plein aire) is at location B.

 Directions: Take Orange Ave east from 581, go left onto Hollins and then right on Mason Mill Road, straight through a four-way stop, and it's on your left.

Happy painting!  Bill

A New Location to Add

This is actually just a more specific location along the greenway  that I noticed today. I have never been on the Salem section of the greenway near where Riverside and Colorado Avenue intersect (although I had been there several times before there was ever a greenway).

Because of the undulating edges of the marsh grass and the clear view from the greenway, I think this would be a great place to meet in a couple weeks when the leaves have a little more variety of color in them. There are some gorgeous sycamores, which will soon turn yellow, for example.

There is a parking lot near the intersection on Riverside. Walk along the river a little (not over the bridge) and there are many potential spots.

Tim and I were the only ones who could get out and paint yesterday. We painted from the pedestrian bridge under the Blue Ridge Parkway at the James River visitors center, milepost 64. This is the view facing NNW. The view in the opposite direction is just as dramatic. One of the challenges was the overlapping shadows and reflections, perpendicular to each other on the water. Soft pastels on museum quality white Wallis paper, 11" x 14".

And More Places to Paint

More On the Blue Ridge Parkway:

Otter Creek overlooks (several of them), cascading stream that is DUAP
Otter Lake (really a pond) DUAP
James River Vistor's Center, lots of potential
Yankee Horse Overlook, Wigwam Falls, after a heavy rain
Apple Orchard Falls (from Sunset Field Overlook) (a  hike)
and, of course, Peaks of Otter


More

Greenhill Park, river views, landscape is probably only interesting if there are great clouds
Crabtree Falls
Cascades (a hike)
Falling Waters
Dismal Falls
Twin Falls on Bent Mountain
The Maury River overlooks near Buena Vista
Southern Virginia University in Buena Vista (I got permission)

First Batch of Suggested Spots

Within 1.5 hours:

Adney Gap on BRP
Fincastle Winery
Carvins Cove
Rocky Knob on BRP
Cahas Mtn Overlook on BRP
Patrick Henry's Red Hill near Brookneal
Poplar Forest
Beliveau Estate Winery
Appomattox NHP
Greenfield/Cherry Blossom Trail (Daleville)
Peaks of Otter Winery
Wasena Park
Goshen Pass
Douthat SP


A little farther:

Warm Springs, Va
Lake Moomaw
Monticello
Staunton
Rockbridge Vineyards
Big Sky Meadows