Appalachian Spring-- a painting collection

About a year ago, I painted a little series of paintings called walking with spring.

Kristina on the AT

I was inspired by a journey I had taken long ago with my new sweetheart (now husband) to hike the Appalachian Trail. It was sort a love story, adventure, and marvels at the wonders of nature all rolled into one.

walking with spring, oil on canvas, 8x8 inches.  (c)2011 Kristina Wentzell

Since those first paintings, I find myself returning on canvas to those mountains again and again. To the southern section of the Appalachian Trail where the spring beauties transformed the forest floor to a carpet of snow.  To the northern parts of the Appalachians in the western mountains of Maine-- our family home and a place where I have spent every summer.

spring beauties, North Carolina  ©1992 Kristina Wentzell

I have lived most of my life along the Appalachian Corridor--hiking its mountains, berry picking, bird watching and later hiking the Appalachian Trail.  It has been a constant muse for my artwork.  What better way to pay tribute to the grand mountain chain than to bring together an entire collection of paintings inspired by this landscape?

The Appalachian Mountains are a series of ranges that stretch from Georgia in the south all the way into Maine in the northern US. It actually continues north from there into the Canadian Maritimes and ends in Newfoundland. They are home to the Great Smoky Mountains in the south, the Shenandoahs in Virginia, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. So many diverse places of beauty all rolled into one.

Gros Morne Mountain, Newfoundland  ©2011 Kristina Wentzell

My collection entitled Appalachian Spring: paintings inspired by the landscape, flora & fauna of the Appalachian Corridor will be on display at the Auditorium Gallery in the Jaffrey Civic Center. March 22nd- April 20th, 2013. There will be an opening reception on March 22nd, 5-8pm.