CHEE KLUDT RICKETTS
The Montpelier Series
This collection of eleven acrylic paintings was created almost exclusively on site on the grounds of Montpelier during the spring and summer of 2020. Typically, I would set up my easel beneath one of the majestic English oaks on the grounds and as I painted I would become enveloped in a sense of reverence for my surroundings. Often groups of visitors to the grounds would stop by to see my work and to ask questions about Montpelier. As one who paints in isolation, I found the interactions with interested visitors to be energizing. My paintings do not tell the story of “how”, they simply record what exists on a given summer day in the year 2020. As a plein air painter, my goals were to capture the light and to communicate the freshness of being “in the moment” in this beautiful, historic location. The challenge with this method of painting is to paint quickly without sacrificing accuracy, necessitating the use of a small format and a limited palette.
I am honored to be the featured artist for this exhibition and am excited to share my paintings along with the varied works - paintings, photographs, fiber and natural arts, and jeweled creations - of the forty artists in the Firnew Farm Artists' Circle.
We the Artists
Firnew Farm Artists' CircleGroup Art Exhibition
Opening Reception Sunday, August 29 4 - 7 pm
The Grand Salon
James Madison's Montpelier
Montpelier Station, VA

Deep Roots
acrylic on canvas 9 x 12"
$425
Horse Barns in the Montpelier Fields
acrylic on panel 8 x 10"
$350 SOLD
Path to Posterity
acrylic on panel 9 x 12"
$425 SOLD
Checking the Wind
acrylic on wood panel 6 x 6"
$225 SOLD
Gateway to Enchantment
acrylic on wood panel 6 x 6"
$225
SOLD
Classically Beautiful
acrylic on panel 8 x 10"
NFS
Home Is Where the Heart Is
acrylic on panel 8 x 10"
$350
Madison's "Tempietto"
acrylic on panel 9 x 12"
$425
October Morning in the Annie DuPont Garden
acrylic on panel 9 x 12"
$425
A New Day is Dawning
acrylic on panel 8 x 10"
$350