Thursday, July 26, 2012

Surrounded by Fire

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK • PLEIN AIR • LANDSCAPES

Fall River at Aspenglen, 9 x 12, oils
   My second week in Colorado was unofficial business and more of an opportunity to paint and shoot photographs on my own in the national park. The High Park Fire was in full blaze and more fires were popping up in Boulder, Colorado Springs and even one right in Estes Park that destroyed 21 homes. It felt a bit inappropriate to be painting at such a time but I have no expertise in fire-fighting and if people were afraid this would hurt tourism, then the best thing I could do was to continue my trip and support local businesses financially.

St Vrain Creek, 9 x 12, oils
After last weeks alpine vistas, I started out with an emphasis on painting water and it's effects. I'm sure I will paint it the rest of my life and never tire of it.

Horseshoe Park Haze, 9 x 12, oils
   OK, that was fun, now let's get back to some mountains. I was in Colorado and the snow in the high country was melting fast. It would not be there when I came back in August. The Highpark fire was creating a haze that made the mountains look even more distant than normal as you can see in the painting of Horseshoe Park. Thankfully it also created clouds which eventually brought us some afternoon thunderstorms.
  My last painting was from near the Cub Lake Trailhead. I've been coming to Rocky Mountain National Park regularly for most of my life and I just discovered this view! May the discoveries never end.

Spruce Canyon, 10 x 12, oils

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