Spring in Nashville

April, 2010, I was blessed with 4 days in Nashville, Tennessee, and I drug my paint and pastels along in hopes of a few days of painting. I have been through Nashville many times, and actually spent some of my younger years about 2 hours south of Nashville. But rarly do I get to paint while traveling. Always somewhere else to be, never enough time. But this was a bit different. Donna had to be in Nashville for a work-related conference which lasted about 4 days, leaving me and my easel alone.... for a painting adventure.

Before we left, I scoped out some points of interest in and around Nashville; Places that might make good locations to set up an easel. The web is great for visiting a place before you ever leave the house. I stumbled across the Belle Meade Plantation and The Hermitage. Both of these location are rich in history, and both are beautiful places to visit in the spring, or anytime. As we left Dallas, we entered and saved the addresses of these locations in our Garmin and headed down the road.

Shortly after ariving in Nashville, Donna was off to the Postal Convention, talking about the finer points of the very complex world of mailing and shipping products, and I hit the streets with the Garmin and easel. Turned out that the weather was PERFECT. The Dogwoods were in full bloom, as were so many other color rich flowers; The landscape in and around Nashville was simply spectacular! A true blessing from a kind Creator.

After recieving permission from the kind folks at the Belle Meade Plantation, I set up under a huge sugar maple tree, which was awe-inspiring all by itself - the trunk was about 4 feet across. I thought of the stories it could tell, the springs and winters it had been through - then thought of the last line in Joyce Kilmer's poem - TREE -"But only God can make a tree."

The grounds at Belle Meade were lush and green and beautiful, as were the several buildings, houses, cabins and barns on the property. If you are ever in Nashville, the Belle Meade Plantation is an place you must visit. Below are a couple of the pieces painted at that location.

April 12 - "The Gardener's House - Oil on Canvas - 16 x 12

There were several of these huge sugar maples on the property.

April 12 - This is the main plantation house built in 1853 by William Harding. This was a 8 x 16 oil on canvas.

Within three or four miles of the Belle Meade Plantation is the Cheekwood Gardens, which also has an excellent art museum, housed in a beautiful mansion, which sets at the top of a hill. At the time of my visit, there was an "American Impressionist" show in the gallery. Well worth the admission.

First day I painted at Cheekwood, I drug my pastels out and did the piece below. It was late afternoon and the grounds were about to close.


April 11 - "Cheekwood Afternoon" 12 x 9 Pastel on Sanded Paper

Easel setup for pastel piece

The morning after Belle Meade, April 13, I went back to Cheekwood Gardens and setup near the front gates... It was another great morning to enjoy God's awesome creation.

"Garden Gate" - 12 x 16 Oil on Panel

April 13 - Later in the afternoon I found a spot back over by the creek that runs through the property of the Belle Meade Plantation. It was a quiet time of enjoying God's provision and tender mercies. I remembered Psalm 23 "... He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." The quietness and beauty of the evening painting by the still waters was rich and tranquil. Another gift from the awesome Creator.


"Still Waters" 16 x 12 Oil on Panel

The last morning we were in Nashville, I headed over to The Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. This beautiful place is also a great place to visit while in Nashville. The folks there were very warm and welcoming to the wandering artist from Texas. I found a place under the shade of a large tree with a view of an old barn, highlighted by a dogwood tree in full bloom. But I was not alone - Homer, a donkey, was over beside the barn, enjoying the morning. I think. I decided not to paint him in the painting, and he must have took it personal. He let out a couple of very loud, and perhaps annoying brays, and then vanished. Sorry, Homer.

Since I had seen many, many dogwoods in bloom, I wanted to attempt to capture a small token of their beauty and the magic they add to the warm spring days.

April 14 - "Dogwood Morning" 16 x 12 Oil on Panel

I really enjoyed this visit to Nashville. With the years that have passed in Texas, I had forgotten about "Magic" of spring in Tennessee that I now remember from some of my childhood days.

To contact Steve: steve@journeyinoils.com