On the Road Again~~Painting and Traveling along Life's Highway



On the Road Again

by Cindy Morawski

Sunrise Commute, SA's Loop 410

Whether it's for work or pleasure, driving is a natural part of my lifestyle.  Traffic when I'm going to work.  Scenery when I'm going on vacation.  It's all a matter of time and perspective.   



Early Evening on River Road, Wimberley, Texas

I have never had to imagine a life without a car.  It's a part of me, like my arm or leg.  I learned to drive when I was a kid on my family's farm.  I had to help out by driving the tractor as soon as I could reach the pedal.  Before I had my official license in hand, I had already clocked a lot of miles on our farm's tractor and pick-up.  

                                                   
 

Last July, Paul and I visited my family in Pennsylvania, and then we headed by car onto one of the scenic backroads of the northern part of the state, Rte. 6.  It's known for its great landscapes, like the PA Grand Canyon in Wellsboro, and for its diners along the way.  We both enjoyed the Wellsboro Diner.  They had delicious blackberry pie and great coffee.   Wellsboro Diner, (Painting on right)                                             

 

 

 

One last painting for the road . . . this one offers my view of I-10 West on the way to Comfort, so naturally, I entitled it On the Road to Comfort.  I love the sights going West into the Texas Hill Country.  Comfort is one of those stops along the way that can be full of surprises.  Wonderful shops, like the Comfort Crockery, and dining treasures too.  One of my personal favorites is a place called the Front Street Tearoom.  It's a cozy converted house with bright green paint on the outside and a trip to the past on the inside.  You'll be greeted by friendly staff and a menu which features a wonderful variety of teas, along with soups and sandwiches that will leave your tastebuds happy.  The decor features antique furniture, and of course, a collection of teapots for every occasion.   

 

 

No matter where you're headed this Fall, I wish you safe travels and happy trails!  Hope all your roads lead to good things . . .



 



 



 

 

 

Fall Art Shows coming up!

 

**You're invited to the 2012 THCI!  I'll be a part of it this year, October 19--21st.  It's a juried art show in the Texas Hill Country~~Boerne, Texas.  You can also learn more about it at this link:  www.boerneprofessionalartists.com. 

 

 

**Another special art show for me this month is the Texas Pastel Society's 2nd Biennual National Juried Show.  The exhibit runs from October 19 through November 2nd, at Art Incorporated, 9401 San Pedro, San Antonio.  More information can be found at www.texaspastelsociety.blogspot.com. 

 

Both art shows offer a variety of original and beautiful artwork, and all of it is available for purchase.  Hope you'll check out my shows this month!

 

www.CindyMorawski.com

 Postcards to Autumn:

A Harvest of Color in Nature

 

by Cindy Morawski

 

 Every year I get a thrill of excitement.  It starts around mid-September and gets stronger as October begins.  What's the big deal? -- you might say.  For me, it begins with the First Day of Autumn.  And, it continues as the season rolls us into thoughts of cooler weather, colorful trees, pumpkin patches, and the welcome approach of the holidays

Still Life, Autumn Harvest, Pumpkins and Squash

 I have celebrated the Autumn Season this year with a series of paintings.  The first one is a still life of a pumpkin and its cousins, the squash.  I placed them on a colorful table with a dark background to help them stand out.  The pumpkin is symbolic of the harvest of food and fun.  I can't wait to eat some pumpkin pie and pick out a pumpkin for Halloween. 





Distant Fall Journey



Last Fall, I traveled to Utopia to paint.  One of the vistas of the Texas Hill Country that really caught my eye was the view of autumn colors in the foreground, beckoning distant hills, and dancing white clouds in the sky.  I enjoyed my day out surrounded by the beauty of nature.  I parked my car by the roadside and looked out over the valley.  It was a moment that I wanted to keep re-living, so I decided to paint it. 


I painted Return to Garner to help me celebrate the New Year of 2012.  Paul and I stopped at Garner last November around Thanksgiving and enjoyed the park on a gorgeous late Fall day.  The bald cypress trees stood so elegantly in silhouette.  The autumn foliage in the background embraced the warm colors of orange, gold, and red.  The Frio reflected the colors back to us.  It was a postcard of hope and beauty.  I won't ever forget that wonderful day.



 One last postcard to Autumn belongs to my painting entitled Rooted in Long Shadows.  I also discovered this landscape at popular Garner State Park in Uvalde County.  The bright colors of the trees first drew me in.  The shadows of the trees reached out along the ground to touch me.  I walked into the afternoon's dapple of sunlight and shadows.  Standing still, I fell into the spell of opposites.  A true land of enchantment. 

                                                    

Garner Revisited







Rooted in Long Shadows       
                                                      

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

FALL Art Shows

October 2012

 

• Candlelight SA Cafe, Season's Solo Show, all month, 3011 N. St. Mary's St.
• Bijou Cinema Bistro, all month with SAVA Gallery Artists, 4522 Fredericksburg Rd. at Wonderland of the Americas Mall,
• River Art Group Members Fall Competition and Sale, Oct. 5--7, SA's LaVillita, 25% of sales go to Wounded Warriors
• Texas Pastel Society's National Juried Show, Oct. 19--Nov. 2, Art Inc Gallery on 9401 San Pedro 
• Texas Hill Country Invitational, Oct. 19--21, Cana Ballroom at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Boerne

 

www.CindyMorawski.com

 

Happy Autumn!