The rain prevented me from venturing any further than my balcony. Sometimes its better to not paint but just look, today was one such day and here is the picture to prove it!
As I was walking around this small town, trying to decide where to set up my easel, I realized that every business but one was shut down or boarded up. The gas station was out of business, even the one traffic light didn't work. It was a town that died. During the 2 hours I was there, I saw one man ride by on his bicycle. And yet every local politician has put posters on the utility poles.
There was something about this abandoned restaurant in the late afternoon light that I couldn't resist. I am attracted to the character of this old boarded up building and the proximity of the tracks added to it. It was almost like being on a movie set.
I came across this hillside at 8:30 this morning. I loved the bright intense sunlight hitting it and the contrast of the shaded road, which also provided a comfortable spot to paint from.
I spent the entire day exploring and painting in the Tennessee Valley. This was a productive and fun day. The valley and the surrounding mountains are beautiful and I will be painting there often.