Looking forward to the Shore and Shenandoahs painting trip!

STARTING THIS MONTH, I'll embark on a painting trip unlike any I've ever taken.

Part of it will take me... home. That's right. I'm going to paint the Eastern Shore, the Virginia part, as though I were a newcomer. I'm going to travel roads I've never traveled, explore areas I've never explored, paint landscapes I've never seen - and do the discovery and research I do on all my painting trips. It's a chance for me to dig a little deeper into this place that I call home, and a chance for me to introduce you to this beautiful flat land.

The second part of the trip will take me to the western part of the state, to the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, a place I've seen and painted from time to time, but have never really explored. I've been attracted by the beautiful mountains, the lovely farms, the way the houses sit on the land, the intense feeling of history that I get from the buildings and the land itself. I'm so looking forward to exploring this part of the state.

The structure of this trip will be a little different, too. If you want to sponsor me, the price is $50 - or more, if you know you're going to want a large painting. Your $50 gets you a place in the list.  I will be making paintings ranging from $50 to $500. You can buy a small one, or put your $50 toward  a larger piece, either from the trip or from my painting in the coming year.

I will post the paintings as I make them, and as usual, when I get home, will put them all on a web page, and you will choose your paintings in the order in which you've signed up. There are already two sponsors on the list.

I also will be putting some paintings up for instant sale, I believe, depending on how many people sign up.

I'll be writing every day, but only on this blog. I'll send all my sponsors an email alerting them to each new blog post, and will, from time to time, add additional thoughts and photos in those email. In past trips, I've written a blog, then reworked and reformatted the writing and the photographs for email. I'm hoping that the blog-only writing will leave me a little less exhausted, and a little more energized for painting.

I don't know if this is a better way to work a trip, or whether it's just a different way? We shall see. I'd love to hear your comments and ideas, now, or as we go along.

And thank you in advance for supporting my painting!