We’re all bluegrass fans here, and if you are also a fan of original artwork in the form of paintings, then Bob Yonke is a name you need to hear. Yonke is a bluegrass musician himself (mandolin is his instrument of choice), performing with groups based in West Virginia, but he’s also an artist in watercolor.
Yonke has combined his love of bluegrass and old-time music with his love of painting. It all started when friends encouraged him to capture the scenes of rural Appalachia in a coffee table book. He started painting and was soon giving the works names based on classic bluegrass songs such as The Old Home Place and Old Joe Clark.
From there he moved to painting scenes of bluegrass bands during performances. Even with these paintings though, he has continued his naming scheme. The one pictured here is titled Big Mon for obvious reasons. Yonke explains what he sees as the purpose of these works of art.
These paintings are not intended to replace photography as a tool for documenting this style of American roots music rather to offer an interpretation that will have meaning beyond its decorative value to bluegrass and old-time country music fans.
All of his paintings are available for purchase from his website AppalachianStudio.com as prints. Originals are also available from time to time and all of the works can also be purchased for use as greeting cards, CD covers, posters and more.
As cool as all this is, it gets better. Not only is Yonke a bluegrass musician and an artist, he’s also a blogger! You can visit his blog The Bluegrass Painter where he writes about art and his love for music.
