Lorraine Plaxico: Mountain Artist

Island Grasses and Light

See Lorraine's Portfolio

Although my professional work as an architectural illustrator consists largely of straight lines, my personal affinity is for the organic shapes of nature. Loose, free-form landscape painting was always my first love and was the focus of my BA in Studio Art at Furman University. Further training in Interior Design at the University of Georgia and later jobs led to much more structure.

In 1982 I left interior design and have had a career as an illustrator for over 25 years. Producing technical airbrush illustrations for an engineering firm and then architectural illustrations for a large architectural/engineering firm in Columbia, SC brought more realism and a tighter technique..

After moving to Asheville, NC in 1996, I have worked with local and national architects, builders, interior designers, developers, and home owners and my style has evolved into a much looser and more artistic one, a mixed media of markers, colored pencils, and pastels.. I am an Associate member of the Asheville Home Builders Association and an Allied member of the AIA NC. I have had the pleasure and honor of producing illustrations for The Biltmore Estate, The Grove Park Inn, and the HGTV Dream Home (2006 in Lake Lure, NC and recently for the 2009 in Sonoma, Calif.) Julie Parker of Handwoven Webs beautifully crafted my website architectureartist.com.

In 2004 , my friends Noel Thurner and Patrick Horan offered their piece of heaven in the woods to me for the sketching retreat that birthed a new personal style of art. I picked up a box of pastels for the first time since I was a teenager, and something magical happened. This medium offers me the freedom of line and color and the expressiveness that is the opposite of the drawings I produce for builders and architects. It flows without planning, I react quickly to the scene and light and am always surprised with the end result. I especially enjoy working on colored paper and allowing it to contribute to the composition. I strive for “less is more”. I also love drawing the human figure.

I recently designed and completed a studio addition to my home, which makes me feel like I am indeed “Living the Dream”. Clint Smith and Tom Burrage meticulously constructed a custom and exquisite light filled space for me to create both work and fun art.

My thanks to Julyan Davis, for welcoming me to take his landscape workshop, even though I worked in pastels and not oil. The series entitled “Botanical Gardens” resulted and led to my first one woman show at Window Gallery in Asheville in 2006.

In 2007 I joined the Toe River Arts Council participated in their first Paint Out, winning third prize (Ann Vasilik, judge) and their second in 2008, also winning third prize (John Lomax, judge). In May 2008 I took a two day workshop with the accomplished pastel and oil landscape artist, Deborah Squier (“Black Mountain” series) and worked informally with her and a group (“Pisgah” series). In June 2008 I took part in a Paint Out with The Watercolor Society, led by Ann Vasilik (“Arboretum” series).

My special thanks to those at TRAC and to Ann and Deborah for their strong encouragement, to Wendy Outland for her advice about my work and the business of art, and to Julie for helping present my art to the world so professionally. My friend Jim Morgenthaler’s tireless and countless hours of training and advice brought this Wilma Flintstone kicking and screaming into the digital and computer world, Many dear friends have lovingly supported me through this journey, my parents were endlessly proud of their artist daughter., and my sister continues her support in their place.

Black Mountain Lake Tomahawk ~ Rain Approaching