Chico Basin (small)

This was fun. I had an 8 x 10 painting from 2006 that I wasn't happy with. In 2008, I added more color to "zing" it up. It was too much, I thought it looked fake. So yesterday, I got out my saw and cut up a 4 x 6 chunk of it that I still liked. It's great! Picture editing with a power saw.

Aspen Overlook

While driving into Aspen late in the day, there is a pull-off where cars stop and take photographs. It is a breath-taking expanse of a cathedral of trees that glow pure gold. I hope to do more of this scene, but don't know if I can ever come close to capturing it. This 18 x 24 quickly became more about balancing the painting and less about the actual scene. I got involved in the interplay of light and color and wanted to re-create a sense of light. That is what painting is about for me. Light.

Maroon Bells with Lake

I took lots of photos and walked around the lake, for views that changed with every few steps. The trees were "past their peak" but what does that mean? Some of them were missing their leaves, but the scene absolutely glowed. I love Colorado. Didn't have time or energy to do a 16 x 20 on location (I probably never will) but I had my small reference color sketches, and still had the memory to re-create this one in my studio.

Maroon Bells Campground

The same Sunday in early October the drive to Maroon Bells was spectacular. Everyone else in the world went up to the lake at about noon. So I pulled over at one of the campgrounds and painted the view through the trees before the Bells came into view. Then about 2 pm, hordes of cars descended down the road, and I knew it was time for me to go up. Is there any better scenery than Maroon Bells in the fall?

Sopris Revisited

I did a little 6 x 8 on location of this view 3 years ago when I had an extra hour on a trip between Glenwood and Aspen. It was such a spectacular scene, I knew I wanted to return again. This year, I had work in Aspen the first week of October, and stayed in Carbondale on a Saturday night. I woke up Sunday morning, and drove past this same scene. This time, I did an 8 x 10. The river here is misty and the sunrise is fast and spectacular. Cold, but really beautiful. There is a little sign that says, "Overlook, Mt. Sopris"

and then there were three

This was my cat Bingo, from about 1963-1975. He was a great cat. I do remember painting this, also in oil on that tacky old canvas paper, that gets brittle after 40 years, but survives. I was bothered by the fact that I couldn't quite fit his tail in the painting, but it doesn't bother me so much now. It is amazing now that the likeness in the painting seems so much more like him than photographs I have. I remember thinking that it was a shame we didn't have photographs before the 1800's so we couldn't really know what those people really looked like who came before then. I know now as a painter that paintings, especially portraits, reveal so much more than photos. Especially if not done in an idealized style.

Life later imitates art-age 13

I don't remember painting this, but from the canvas paper and browned tape on the back, it must have been done when I was age 13 or 14. I didn't know anyone in Colorado then, so it must have been copied from a magazine photo I chose because I liked it. Pretty generic landscape, but I recognize little aspen, ponderosa pines, Douglas fir, and snowcovered peaks. The same things I love today about the landscape here in my own backyard. I also remember watching True Grit, which was released in 1969. I was in awe of the scenery, thinking "wow, I'd love to go to a place like that someday." From 2007-2008 I lived on the Western Slope, and visited all the locations where it was filmed. My favorite was aptly named, "Debbie's Meadow."

Life imitates Art-age 11

Having the week of Thanksgiving off, I am cleaning my closets, garage, etc. A long neglected project. I found a watercolor painting I did at age 11, and I only have 2 paintings from my childhood. There were lots more that got tossed years ago. It's a collie dog, and its a stunning resemblance to my dog today. Never had a collie dog until 2006, and yet 40 years ago I painted one. And it's one of the two paintings I have from the 1960's. Good Carma. (I'll post the other one as well.)

Twin Lakes pochade

I did this the first of October on a drive to Aspen to see a nursing client. It was a good place to stop for a walk to stretch my stiff back and legs, and the scenery was spectacular. The fall colors were bright yellow, and it was hard to decide on a scene with the mountains and lake. I chose a little historic cabin and a backlit cottonwood as it gave me the opportunity to stand in the shade and find a post to tie Carma. I had her off lead for the walk before, and she decided to cross the highway and follow another dog into his house. I got to meet a very nice dog-loving person who was remodeling her very old and interesting home in Twin Lakes. Who understood my gregarious dog who takes advantage of every chance she gets to meet new friends. Oh, and pochade means sketch. I have a little 6 x 8 pochade box that is very portable and allows me to make painting on location a very easy thing, so I actually do it. If I had to set up a big easel and box, it would be too cumbersome and I wouldn't be able to do it. Life means moving forward and figuring out what works to continue to do this.

September 27 aspen

this was another 6 x 8 I did on location at Rampart Range Rainbow Trail. It was a hot and bright day, so I found a spot in the shade, which made the lighting interesting as always. Can almost remember the smell of the leaves and Carma standing on a 20 foot rock, peering down at everything below. She is good at finding her way to the best view.

Early Fall Aspen with Peak

I did this one in August on location, with several members of the PPPAP group just off Rampart Range. It was a day when I brought my dog, we had lunch and took a walk after painting. 8 x 10 oil. Good memories.

Morning Aspen

Another 6 x 8 on Rampart Range. The colors and values in the trunks compared to the background and the foliage was a really good challenge in seeing. And fun.

September Aspen

It's been a month and a half of classes and visits, have not posted in a really long time. So here's the catch-up. Before I started my classes 9-30-10 I went to Rampart Range 4 days in September and focused on aspen on location in the fall. I will post the results in the next 4 days. Last weekend and this weekend I spent an hour or so a day working on a larger studio version of aspen. I feel I really understand them better after spending all that time with them on location. Here is the 6 x 8 inch plein aire from 09-26-10.

Fall aspen with lichen rock

Colorado Aspens-have captured my attention this past few month. I get out and paint them whenever I can, and at different times, weather conditions, in different seasons, their trunks are completely different colors. A really good painter's challenge. There is so much information to receive, that a photo reference couldn't possibly afford. I keep the format small (6 x 8) so I can easily transport the lightweight materials with me and actually do it on location. It makes all the difference.Even if I'm exhausted the next day from the effort (which I was), its so much more worthwhile to capture a subject from life.

Paint-a-thon in Victor

I did the Victor Celebrates the Arts event this year. Many fine artists attend this plein aire week in a small mining town every Labor Day Weekend. It's really a paint-a-thon as all painting supports are stamped the first day, and then you have a week to turn out 4 paintings to enter in the show at the end of the week. I drove up 2 days (3 days apart) and painted 2 each day. The challenge (and its a good one) is to paint fast. This one of Vindicator Valley and the Teresa Mine, I really wanted to do. I did a studio painting of it last winter and really wanted to paint one on location. The colors and shadows were much more interesting in person, especially in the morning light. And of course, changing drastically in a 2 hour time frame when I was there. The wind was really picking up and I found myself trying to hit a moving target by the time I got out my palette knife to do the detail work. Plein aire really is fun (and work.)I like my results when I paint outside, the work is usually fresh and colorful.

New Project

I am honored to have been chosen as one of a group of artists who will assist Doug Rouse in his latest project, "The 12 Mural Project." It is a community effort for the community to beautify public places in Colorado Springs. I will attach the link so you can follow the progress, and also will put it on my Facebook page. I'm excited to follow the progress. The plan is to have a video of the process from start to finish. The start is this weekend with powerwashing and basecoating. (which will be done by some of the other artists.)

Another Aspen

the more I look at these, the more I see. They really do come in all different colors and reflect the light that is around them. I'm looking forward to doing some on location this fall.

another re-work

This one I've looked at for awhile, and thought I had it sold a few years to a couple who had lived in Manitou, but moved back east. They liked it, I liked, but had it hanging up, so looked at it often. As my style developed, I thought, maybe I should do more with the foreground, maybe I should push the background back, maybe I should straighten up the windows. And so I did.

Shepherdess

this is one I reworked today and like so much better. I did the original in 2004, and have touched it up a few times, but this time was brutal. Sometimes it just takes looking at something long enough to tell how to fix it. (and painting for a few more years of problem-solving doesn't hurt, either.)

sittin' in a tree, kiss-ing

this was so interesting, I had to include it. This is the tree I painted on location yesterday. I always take a photo reference for later comparison. I don't really ever use them, as my paintings are usually completed on the spot. Even when it starts raining on the canvas, its hard to re-create that plein aire feeling from a photo. So I usually wipe off the paint and start over with something new. This really amazed me at how complicated the branch and leaf structure was, and how I simplified it for the painting. Simple is better, and you can see the difference in the visual material you receive from a photo versus from life. Kiss-ing refers to "keep it simple, smarty" of course, and always a good reminder!