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Calling all art enthusiasts and Upshur County historians: local artist Noel W. Tenney invites visitors to browse the newest additions to The Old Orchard Gallery in Buckhannon.
The Old Orchard Gallery will be open to the public on the upstairs floor of the local restaurant and market, Fish Hawk Acres, located at 5 W. Main Street in Buckhannon. The gallery will be open for browsing on Friday, Dec. 13; Thursday, Dec. 19; and Friday, Dec. 20, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
“I paint what I know, and that is the local landscape,” Tenney said. “[The local landscape] says more than people think; there are patterns in the sky, the earth, the light and dark and more.”
The vast display features heartwarming paintings and colorful cut-paper designs, each with a unique story. Oftentimes, when viewers lock eyes with a work from Tenney, they can be transported into the beauty of historical Upshur County landmarks, local farms and other reminders of home in North Central West Virginia.
Tenney explained that Upshur County and West Virginia landscapes are like no other, even though he is a seasoned traveler of Europe.
“I’ve traveled to Europe a lot of times, looked at a lot of things, and saw a lot of different landscapes that look very different from here. I took lots of photographs,” Tenney said. “I’ve only done two paintings from those photographs of Europe. They didn’t feel right; the architecture was different, the way the fields were cultivated was different, and the mountains were different. I’ve found that I can paint for 20 lifetimes just in Upshur County and never paint all the landscapes. It changes. The sky changes. The colors change.”
With his abundance of knowledge in the magical world of art, Tenney offers advice to up-and-coming artists of any skill level and medium.
“I have done just about every kind of art making,” Tenney said. “My philosophy has always been to at least give it a try.”
Private appointments to view the beautiful works of The Old Orchard Gallery are available by contacting Noel Tenney at noelwtenney@yahoo.com. Please note the gallery is on the second floor of the Fish Hawk Acres building. If visitors require assistance on the staircase to the upstairs gallery, a chair lift is available.
The gallery encourages intentionally browsing the art selection while each image is available for purchase.
“If I were to be recognized and remembered as an art-maker, I have tried to accent, appreciate and educate people to the environment around them, whatever that might be,” he said.
