A couple of weeks ago, the art group I belong to (The Chestnut Group) partnered with The Nature Conservancy to hold an art show. Proceeds benefited the Conservancy's program to help protect the Duck River from pollution, erosion, flooding, and species depletion. This is an important cause for several reasons. The Duck River provides drinking water for over 250,000 Tennessee residents. Also, this waterway is one of the most diverse ecosystems in North America, and was featured in a National Geographic article on species diversity. The Duck River, and the land in its watershed, are a source of natural beauty and rustic small town life, and we don't want the scenery or the people of this region to be harmed by a polluted, despoiled river.
The art sales for this show totaled over $9,000, with nearly $5,000 going toward the Duck River program. Art and nature.....a fitting combination!
Here are a few of my paintings of scenes in the Duck River watershed, painted for this show.
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| "Tree Hug" - 9x12 - Duck River near Centerville |
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| "College Grove Grocery" - 16x20 - College Grove |
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| "View From the Bridge" - 9x12 - Hurricane Creek running past Hurricane Mill, at Loretta Lynn's dude ranch |
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| "Two Pound Trout" - 8x10 - Hurricane Creek, at Loretta Lynn's dude ranch |
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| "Distant Thunder" - 8x10 - lake at Wilt Farm, near Columbia |
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| "Riffle" - 9x12 - Duck River at Henry Horton State Park |
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| "Bitsy on the Duck" - 6x8 - Duck River in Shelbyville |
