
There are so many interesting sights along the waterways of our country. The
rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes border historic and picturesque places. Here
are just a few I have enjoyed painting in recent years. |
CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH STATUE, JAMESTOWN, VIRGINIA
The site
of the Jamestown Colony is on the broad James River in the flat
Tidewater area of Virginia. Recent excavations have revealed far more
about the original location of the Jamestown fort. The statue honoring
Captain John Smith looks out over the James River.
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CASTILLO DE SAN MARCO, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA
This
Spanish fort built in 1672, was constructed of "coquina," a natural
limestone composed of broken shells and coral. It guards the oldest
European settlement in the United States. The fort's antique guns still
point toward the entrance to the harbor.
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MONHEGAN ISLAND, MAINE
A short
boat ride from the mainland at New Harbor, Maine, brings you to Monhegan
Island---long an active fishing and lobstering village---and now a prime
destination for summer visitors. We walked across the island to the
uninhabited side of the island and watched the waves break on the rocky
coast.
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BRIDGE OF LIONS, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA
This picturesque bridge is
obviously named for the wonderful lions that "guard" the entrance to the
bridge. I sat next to the roadway leading to the bridge, and received
numerous "words of encouragement" from cars entering the bridge. Well,
at least I like to think they were words of encouragement.
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FLOATING BRIDGE, POND VILLAGE, BROOKFIELD, VERMONT
This
bridge over a small pond is said to be unique, or nearly so. Originally
built in 1860 and floating on barrels, the roadway of the bridge was
nearly under water when I painted it. The structure has since been
repaired, I understand, and still serves as a passageway on that small
Vermont road.
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TIDAL CREEK, SMITHFIELD, VIRGINIA
A small
tributary of the Pagan River, which itself is a tributary of the James
River. I recently drove over the small bridge from which I did this
painting, and found it was crawling with fiddler crabs crossing from one
side to the other.
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LAKE POWELL, ARIZONA
I sat in direct Arizona
sunlight to do this sketch. In the dry heat, the water evaporated from
the paper as soon as I laid it down with my brush. A stiff breeze even
hastened the process! The Glen Canyon Dam is just to the right outside
of the picture. The colors appear almost too intense in the
sketch---but I do believe they are quite accurate.
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ABANDONED BOAT, POQUOSON, VIRGINIA
Messick's Point in Poquoson,
Virginia, is a very small and authentic fishing outpost. A number of
Chesapeake "deadrise" workboats call it home, and there is a small
seafood processing plant ready to receive their catches. Eventually a
boat becomes to old to serve its purpose, and lies abandoned to rot away
in the marsh. It is a sad sight---but always attractive to the artist.
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Copyright Richard C. Moore, All rights reserved
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