The public is invited to a retrospective exhibition of work by Waynesville landscape artist Richard Baker. Colors of the Blue Ridge: The Mountainscapes of Richard Baker will be held Friday, August 8, and Saturday, August 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, with a closing reception on August 9, from 5–7 p.m. Around 200 oil paintings will be on display and for sale in Baker’s studio (Room A-4) at Folkmoot Studios and in the SOAR Cafeteria, just down the hall from Baker’s studio and adjacent to the Folkmoot building. Live music and refreshments will be part of the evening’s festivities, and Baker will be in attendance to talk with guests about his work and the many regional beauty spots he has visited.
Kings Creek Falls. Richard Baker, artist
In addition, Baker will be the featured artist at Twigs & Leaves Gallery, in Waynesville, during August. “Richard’s oil paintings, often capturing the familiar mountain ridgelines and quiet woodlands of Western North Carolina, resonate deeply with our mission to celebrate the natural beauty of this region,” says Tiffani Watts, gallery manager at Twigs & Leaves. Baker will on hand for an artist demonstration on Friday, August 1, from 6–9 p.m. at the gallery during Art After Dark.
The works that will be on display in his studio and at SOAR represent decades of exploration and study by Baker of the Blue Ridge Mountains, including time spent painting with the Smoky Mountain Plein Air Painters, a group that he established in 2018. “Painting is my breath,” says Baker. “I’m happiest when I’m standing in these mountains and painting the vistas that touch me.” A prolific artist, Baker has favorite spots to paint including the Woolyback Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Lake Junaluska and the West Fork of the Pigeon River.
Regular hours for Richard Baker’s studio are by chance or by appointment. Contact him at richardbakersstudio@gmail.com or 828.234.1616. Folkmoot is located at 112 Virginia Avenue, and Twigs & Leaves Gallery is located at 98 North Main Street, both in Waynesville.
