Painting at 6200 feet!!

Come mid-June the rhododendrons on the Roan are in full bloom and it is a perfect time to go painting outside.  Roan Mountain is on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.  Roan High Bald is 6,285'.  One of the highest peaks east of the Mississippi. And always an adventure when painting.  Another artist friend was there just last week, painting while the winds blew 50mph!!

Early this morning, four of my artist friends and I headed to the Cloudland Hotel site on Roan Mountain to do some painting.  The Cloudland Hotel was built as a luxury resort in 1884.  It straddled the NC/TN state line.  There was a line painted across the floor of the dining room indicating the state line.  Alcohol was legal in Tennessee, but not in North Carolina, so if a guest wanted to drink she/he needed to be on the "right" side of the line!  There isn't much of the hotel left there now, other than the remnants of a patio and stone wall. 

Due to the elevation, we never know what to expect when we head out to paint.  The temperature is usually a minimum of 10 degrees lower than where we all live (at about 3,000 feet).  Sometimes it is clear, sometimes covered in clouds.  It can be very windy.  And the weather can change in an instant.  I've been going up there to paint for about 6 years now, and each time is a different experience.

Today was amazing!  I arrived about 8:30.  It was cloudy, but I could see blue sky near the horizon both on to the east and the west.  By 9:00, the "fog" moved in and we were in a engulfed in a cloud.  The rhododendrons are in full bloom.  Set against the deep green of the spruce/fir forest, the pink of the rhodies is amazing.  The cloud stayed around till nearly noon - only allowing the sun to shine through for moments at a time.  We finished up just before noon and sat down for lunch.  The sun came out.  And then.... just when we thought the fog was done for the day... another cloud approached and we were once again engulfed.  It makes for a mystical world up there, that's for sure. 

Here are photos from this morning....

In the clouds at Cloudland

Cloudy Cloudland

By the time I finished - the cloud lifted
and another mountain appeared!


We were here!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!

susan
www.susangarriques.com
www.baseboardmice.com

Comments

Ducky said…
Amazing location Susan. I am sure you felt very inspired as you painted.
Brice Studio said…
Great post, Susan. I shared. Hope that was ok. Didn't stop at the gardens as it looked to be swamped. Hoping to take Richard up there in the middle of next week so hopefully not so many folks. Thanks again for the invite. It was kinda spiritual, don't you think?