Centerville artist finds peace with painting Tennessee's great outdoors

If you've ever looked for a little extra peace in life, you've heard you can find it in nature.

Take nature, and combine it with a paint brush and canvas and you may find a great feeling in the great outdoors.

Rachael McCampbell finds peace and her next masterpiece looking out at a farmhouse outside Centerville.

"There's just a lot of nostalgia for me and I love, love old buildings," she said.

Those old buildings became McCampbell's newest work of art. This style, in the plain open air that comes with nature, has a specific name.

"Yeah it's French, it's plein air, just means outside," she explained.

I wanted to learn more about this style of art. It's so scenic, peaceful, quiet, tranquil and anybody can do it.

"I love painting roads because to me when you look at a road, it makes you wonder where it's leading," McCampbell said.

McCampbell's road began in East Tennessee. It has taken her through life's twists and turns. She has an indoor studio, but frequently trades that indoor studio for the great outdoors

"I turned toward it for healing," she said. "Was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and got very, very, very sick for a long time. Was in and out of the hospital and I got so sick, I thought I might die. But I didn't."

She still had a whole other road to travel.

This is the painting she worked on when I was with her just outside of Centerville. She's still putting on some finishing touches, but tells me this is the latest version.

Credit: Rachael McCampbell

"So I think I'll continue to teach I think forever," she said.

That is her favorite part of being an artist. Between her plein air painting and commissioned work, it's the love of sharing this with aspiring artists that brings her so much joy. Later this year, she plans to host painting workshops in Ireland.

"I just love it," she said. "It's exciting to each people's faces light up as they get it."

Still, she'll never forget her journey's origin.

"My mother painted and I always had the painting bug," she said. "If it's painting, it can be very, very, very relaxing. And healing. For your soul."

McCampbell has also painted murals for hospitals throughout Tennessee. To see more of her work, click here.

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