Tales of the Traveling Totes: Lake Martin, Alabama *PLUS* a Giveaway!

Happy June, My Lovelies!  Welcome to another edition of the Tales of the Traveling Tote.

This past quarter I only traveled 83 miles from our home in Birmingham to beautiful Lake Martin, Alabama.  It's our home away from home.  In this post, I'll share with you a few of my favorite places on the lake.  I have been "trying out" cameras, and the learning curve with them all has been a thing, I'm not going to lie.  Some photos are better than others, so please forgive me for a few less than stellar photos.

Duck swimming near Goat Island

This post will feature:

1.   Jim Scott's Gardens

2.   SpringHouse Restaurant

3.   Tallapoosa Art School

4.   Chimney Rock

First stop:  Jim Scott's Garden

Jim Scott began his gardening journey after a tornado felled several trees on his property.  Rather than replanting the trees, he started a small garden.  He has added to his property over the years, and now owns just under seven acres on the banks of Lake Martin.  The property is mostly sloped, and there are many garden "rooms" on multiple levels, often separated by pathways and water features.  His gardens are only open during the month of May, and this year everything was stunning.  We've had a wet spring in Alabama, so it's been one of the prettiest springs that I can remember.

La Countess de Monet and I toured Jim Scott's Garden with my ECW group.  This metal pot is located in a woodland area near the street side entrance and pavilion.  

Street side entrance to path leading to the gardens

One of the numerous water features in the garden

What I love most about the garden is the fairytale-like quality.  I was expecting to see Hansel and Gretel dropping breadcrumbs around each corner!

The property did not have a single stone on it; instead it was composed of Alabama red clay.  Although the above water feature looks natural, most of the rocks were brought in from Sewanee, Tennessee.

I took several photos of containers because they were all so beautiful and most were dramatically planted.

Handmade swing in a tiny glade filled with hydrangeas and ferns

Detail of playhouse

I wonder where this little doorway leads...

This is one of my favorite water features

What kind of voodoo magic is this?  I can't seem to grow maidenhead ferns in my home.  I love them, and they are stunning in Jim Scott's garden!

Top of lakeside gazebo

Hippopotamus sculpture in the reeds, lakeside

One of the lawn areas

SpringHouse Restaurant

In my opinion, SpringHouse Restaurant at Russell Crossroads is arguably the best restaurant in Alabama.  I know it's my favorite!  Executive Chef Rob McDaniel sources local produce and products.  But not only is the food par excellence, the setting is stunningly gorgeous.  The buildings are constructed of stone and rough hewn timber overlooking the stables and rolling hills leading to the lake.  

The grounds are so pretty

This photo is taken from the promontory upstairs.  This is my favorite part of the restaurant because it overlooks the well house and the stables.

The Well House is a

circular, 12-seat private dining room accessed via the restaurant’s

subterranean wine cellar.  I would love to host a party there one day!  We asked for a tour, and it's truly an amazing space.

View of the Stables at Russell Crossroads from SpringHouse Restaurant

Tallapoosa Art School

Dorothy Littleton has created an amazing space to create art on the shores of Lake Martin in Dadeville, Alabama.  The Tallapoosa Art School hosts workshops throughout the year, and I was so lucky to get to attend Qiang Huang's still life workshop earlier this spring.  Dorothy is the ultimate hostess, and her family's property, called Blue Heron, is a wonderful facility with lakeside cabins for visiting artists and a beautiful studio.  Plus, one can't beat the beauty of Lake Martin for plein air painting practice.

La Countess de Monet outside the Blue Heron's art studio.

The outdoor spiral staircase leads to a loft where visiting art instructors can stay.  It is the most charming studio I've ever seen!

Inside studio, looking down from loft

The following photos are courtesy of Dorothy Littleton

One of the adorable cabins visiting artist can stay in while attending workshops.

Qiang Huang teaches a plein air lesson

Some plein air workshops visit Jim Scott's Garden for painting demonstrations and classes.  There's plenty of inspiration for landscapes there!

Sunset at the Blue Heron

You can read my blog post about my experiences at the workshop HERE.  I had such a great time that I'm already signed-up to take another workshop at the Tallapoosa Art School this summer.  I will probably take more than one, actually.  For more information about scheduled workshops, click HERE. 

Chimney Rock

One of the most popular hangout spots at Lake Martin is Chimney Rock and neighboring Acapulco Rock.  Youngsters enjoy jumping off the rocky cliffs, and it's a great place to people watch.

I apologize about the quality of these photos.  I'm still learning!  ;P

I hope you enjoyed our adventures.  La Countess de Monet and I appreciate your attention and patronage, and we'd like to treat you to some ice cream!

And now on to the giveaway!

That's me!  I'm The Sketchy Reader!

In order to enter, please fill-out the Rafflecopter widget below!

LEGAL:  This is a sweepstakes, and the winner will be chosen at random via the Rafflecopter widget.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please visit all the other ladies and totes by using the links below!

Debbie with Miss Aurora @ Mountain Breaths 

Emily with Miss Courtney Childs@ The French Hutch

 Patti with Miss Kenzie @ Pandora's Box

Jenna with Miss Coquille @The Painted Apron

Linda P with Miss Lola @ Life and Linda

Rita with Miss Luna C @ Panoply 

Sarah with Miss Merri Mac @ Hyacinths for the Soul

Jackie and Miss Madi K @ Purple Chocolat Home

Ricki Jill and Countess De Monet @ The Sketchy Reader You are HERE!

Cherry Kay and Carrie Ann Hall @ Entertaining Women  

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today.  I hope you are having a lovely late spring wherever you are, and I hope that those of you affected by flooding will dry out and rebuild soon.  Much love to you all!

Until next time...

Blessings!

Ricki Jill

Tales of the Traveling Totes: Lake Martin, Alabama *PLUS* a Giveaway!

Saturday, June 1, 2019

Spring Break at the Tallapoosa Art School

Demo at Lake Martin 2019 2

Oil on panel

This is Qiang Huang's demo from day 2 of the workshop.  He focused on metals in the lesson

Happy Wednesday, My Lovelies!  During the last week of March, I spent Spring Break at the Tallapoosa Art School on Lake Martin in Dadeville, Alabama.  Dorothy Littleton owns the school, and her studio is truly something special, as is her cottage home and the lakeside cabins for guests.  I stayed at our lake cabin because it's only 13 miles from Dorothy's lake property called the Blue Heron.  Click on the LINK and check out the Blue Heron and the summer workshops Dorothy has planned.

Y'all know how much I love the lake, and I also have admired the workshop's teacher, Qiang Huang (pronounced Chong Wong) and his art for a long time.  I jumped at the opportunity to attend the workshop, and I'm so happy I did.  Not only was Dorothy a wonderful hostess (plus amazing artist herself), but Qiang is the BEST workshop teacher I've ever had, and I've attended dozens of workshops over the years.

Qiang Huang and his demo from Day 3

You can learn more about Qiang, his workshops, and his art by linking to his website HERE.

Close-up of demo from Day 3: Glass Lesson

This was also a High Key Lesson, and I found it to be challenging. 

It is very difficult to talk and paint at the same time because both actions use different parts of the brain.  Qiang can do this well, but he's a genius, literally.  He's an engineer by trade, and his story is so interesting.  He actually fell into art when he wanted to furnish his new home and couldn't find anything he liked in his price range!  Qiang is very personable, and very, very patient.  

La Countess de Monet accompanied me on the trip, however I wouldn't let her attend class with me in the studio.  I'm way too messy!  See the door on top?  It's a loft for visiting artists or other guests.  There's a spiral staircase accessing it, but I cut it off in my photo!

Many of the materials for the art studio were sourced from a mid-1800s Iowa barn.  I wanted to show a few of the woods used in the studio in this photo.

Looking over the loft into the studio area

There's room for about ten artists in the studio.

Qiang teaches a process of oil painting called alla prima.  According to Wikipedia:

Wet-on-wet, or alla prima (Italian, meaning at first attempt), direct painting or au premier coup, is a painting technique in which layers of wet paint are applied to previously administered layers of wet paint.

Demo at lake Martin, Day 4: Floral Lesson

Lake Martin Day 1 Demo

I brought this one home with me!  :D

Now I'll share two of the paintings I completed at the workshop.  I learned so much painting them, and I can look at them and remember what I learned.  Plus I took copious notes to help me remember what Qiang taught.  

Painting from Day 1

I enjoyed learning a better way to paint grapes.

This is my painting from Day 2.  It was challenging painting both metal and glass in one painting!

Now that I'm home, I'm determined to try to paint everyday and join the Daily Painting Movement.  Below are two alla prima daily paintings that I painted here at home after the workshop.

Both paintings are 6" X 6".

I want to thank Qiang for traveling to Alabama to teach us; the other incredibly talented artists who attended; and Dorothy, the sweetest hostess *ever*  I had such a nice time sharing meals with these artists, too.  I can't wait to take a couple of the workshops this summer!

Until next time...

Blessings!

Ricki Jill

Spring Break at the Tallapoosa Art School

Wednesday, April 10, 2019