Capturing Hunt Country’s Landscapes with Artist Eva Kay McKinley
Written by Lia Hobel | Photos by Caroline Gray
Just in her teens, Eva Kay McKinley has quickly gained a following for her stunning landscape paintings of Hunt Country, featuring many Loudoun scenes perfectly preserved in watercolor. Her most popular prints include the Virginia bluebells and Bears Den. “I think the bluebells are always associated with wonder and awe,” she shares. “It’s like a fairytale when you experience it in person.”
Having moved from Vienna to Philomont almost two years ago with her three siblings and parents, the 16-year-old with a vibrant, self-proclaimed old soul has found plenty of inspiration in her new home. She’s spent time painting idyllic scenes like the sprawling countryside meadows, the Middleburg Christmas Parade, and even strawberry picking at Wegmeyer Farms. McKinley also captures the splendor of Loudoun vineyards, depicting sunsets among the vines.
“We’re becoming this generation that’s not paying attention to the beauty and intricacy of nature,” McKinley laments. But she continues, explaining her chosen subject matter, “I just find whenever I’m out in nature, it’s just good for the soul. It warms me.”
McKinley’s journey as an artist began four years ago after a life-changing family road trip to over 25 national parks. This experience intensified her passion for nature and creativity, leading her to paint an entire collection featuring the parks she visited.
Following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, her family collectively decided to live somewhere surrounded by nature permanently. “During my middle school years, we went to an outdoor school that was like ‘Little House on the Prairie,’” McKinley fondly recalls. Fortunately, all the cards aligned to make the move to western Loudoun a reality. Now in high school, her full-time homeschooling education allows McKinley to immerse herself in her art while listening to audiobooks, creating a harmonious blend of learning and creativity. Often, she can complete her schoolwork before noon and have the rest of the day to explore nature, garden, and paint.
McKinley’s artistic talent has always been evident. While living in Vienna, she took art lessons at a studio exploring different mediums but was drawn to watercolor. Since moving to Hunt Country, she’s embraced oil painting and taken art lessons from local Middleburg artist Gail Guirreri-Maslyk, which has been fruitful in honing her skills. “I love at a young age you can just try everything,” she says. “I can learn horse painting and impressionism and different styles and techniques and explore all the waters.”
The dedication to her craft has led to remarkable achievements, including having her artwork being accepted and sold at the Artists in Middleburg gallery. This was the pivotal moment for her in 2024 when a beloved hobby became a business. “I submitted two paintings, and they got accepted. I was thrilled that my artwork was in an actual gallery,” she remembers. “By the end of the month, to my great astonishment, both paintings had sold. That feeling when someone who doesn’t know my story, my age, or anything about me chose my art really blew me away and encouraged me to continue painting and sharing my gift with others.”
McKinley’s creative process involves using her own photos to capture the essence of an environment. She often combines multiple photos to create a cohesive vision, sketching out her ideas before painting. Her mom often gives suggestions before she starts to paint and has been instrumental in the business side of marketing her prints. There is the boots-on-the-ground effort, too. These days, Friday nights are spent packaging inventory to restock shops that already carry her artwork or prepping for a booth at one of the local markets. “There’s so much support from all the galleries,” she says. “When I was interested in selling my artwork at shops, I pretty much went around with the basket of my stationary sets and fine art prints and went into these storefronts and talked with all the store owners.”
She also finds joy in interacting with buyers in person. “You can get art from so many different places, but people love when they meet the artist of the story and have new memories that are connected with the piece. I oftentimes share my inspiration with the painting and those people then share their own memories of the scene, whether it’s the local parks or hikes around here or certain drives,” McKinley says. This personal connection with her audience has been a meaningful part of her artistic pursuits, as she enjoys hearing their stories and memories associated with her artwork. “I’ve always loved evoking peace and joy and stillness in people’s homes. I feel like there’s a thirst for beauty and when people stop by my booth, they’re just encouraged and feel happy about going home with something that adds beauty to their home.”
Looking ahead, McKinley dreams of continuing her artistic journey and possibly opening her own gallery or school built on outdoor experiential learning. “I’d love to preserve a generation that’s losing the wonder and curiosity and bring it back through nature and art,” she shares.
McKinley’s art is a testament to the power of creativity and the outdoors, inspiring others to pause and appreciate the world around them. Her outlook as an artist is a beautiful reminder of the joy and opportunity for reflection that nature offers. ML
To learn more about McKinley and her work, visit theoldfashionedgirl.com.
Published in the April 2025 issue of Middleburg Life.