Nimrod Hall
Submitted by Judy Thomas
Five CVABA members went to Nimrod Hall, an art retreat in Bath County, VA, for the first retreat of the season, called "open week." Nimrod Hall is hard to describe: established in 1783 the hall has been home to artists each summer for 27 years. It is a rustic, but beautiful, setting on the Cowpasture River. Artists come to work in this amazing setting. As it is hard to describe, I thought I would let the artists' words speak for themselves, below. But one important thing to know, is that we are all going back next year!
For more information about Nimrod Hall, go to:
http://www.lauraloe.com/lauraloe.com/nimrod/nimrodhallart.com/Home.html
Anne McCahill:
Early morning haze and
crisp air
Some
of us are prepping canvases and palettes
Others
are selecting plant and flower samples
While
their senses are awakening....
Feathered
friends chirp in unison
Flowers
adorn porches and jardinettes
There's
beauty and inspiration all around....
Ding
dong, the antique bell resounds for the breaking of bread
Bon
appetit!
Rustic
dwellings, lake, pond, fields, mounts and vales
Are
captured by caressing brush strokes,
Greens, blues and mauves compete for the best in show
At
dusk, a glass of rouge or blanc is shared by fellow painters,
Lively
exchanges echo thru the compound
Before
the curtains are drawn.
'Tis
time to dream about another fulfilling day
Gail Goodrich Harwood:
Nimrod is:
Taking
time out from the busyness of life to just BE...to draw, to paint, to find new
sources of inspiration...while sharing experiences with others who are
passionate about art...and a little crazy, as all artists are.
Nimrod
is: a
magical place to feed one's soul.
Kay Lindberg:
Not knowing what to
experience on my first visit to Nimrod, I was very pleased with my whole
vacation. Laura Loe, the owner and artistic director, covered every detail to make us welcome. She
had not previously dealt with botanical artists like CVaBA, but she made us feel
at home by allowing us to use the old post office as our studio. The whole
grounds are unbelievably beautiful and peaceful with trees that are hundreds of
years old and original buildings that have been restored but remain rustic.
With farmland and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background, I could not ask
for more.
Geranium, watercolor, Elizabeth Binnings
Elizabeth Binnings:
Nimrod Hall Plant paintplaycation, I made that up, but it best describes our week. Everywhere we looked, there were fresh flowers, wonderful vistas and serenity. No TV, No loud music, No loud talking on cell phones, just laughter, quiet conversation, crickets and frogs and birds.
Our "Square House" was very comfortable, even with my scooter. The front porch was wonderful with rocking chairs and cool breezes. Stacy, the chef put together some great meals and was creative with the vegetarian menu. Laura, our hostess, made sure we had what we needed for inspiration, supplies and gentle help. One morning, several of us even went to paint a landscape at the "pond" or swimming hole.
It seemed that each of us botanical folk were using different media so it was good to learn more about embroidery, pen and ink, colored pencil, water color and mixed media. And yes, I am proud of my geranium painting, and received some great compliments.
All in all a most excellent adventure.
…permission to work all I
wanted, to sketch and draw, with no other obligations.
…beautiful, peaceful,
soothing, yet inspiring.
…camaraderie in a community
of artists.
…rustic, yet comfortable.
Think about coming with us next year!
