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".