South Saint Vrain

Today We went up the South Saint Vrain to paint. It was perfectly clear when we started and within 30 min the clouds had moved in and it was threatening rain. I painted this in about an hour. The light changed too fast.

 I did take a photo when the sun was out. So when I got home I tried painting it again. I really don't know if it turned out any better. I kind of like the rock formation in the middle.

 

Thursday after work I I went up to the same spot and painted this fast water.

time lapse

No work this past week so I had a lot of fun. Weds. Morning I went to the little town of Buffalo Creek and painted this first one. A local told me the name of the mountain in the back is "Cathedral" and the white building is the historic "Blue bird Cafe".

 This is of course from our Weds night figure class. I was pleased with how fast and well this came together. I guess all the hard work is starting to pay off.

This is a view from Walker Ranch that I've painted before. It is an awesome spot.

Today my painting friend, Sharon and I headed up Boulder Canyon in search of rushing water to paint. I found this spot where some of the river was in the shade and the rest was in the sun. The light moved so fast that within 20 min. everything was in the sun. I really tried to stick with how it looked when I first started.

I did a time laps with my gopro on this next one. Be sure to watch the video below, and turn up the volume. I have some of my guitar music in the back ground. The name of the tune is "Steppin in" I wrote it back in 06 or 07. The figure is Sharon painting on the shoreline.

 

Remember turn up the volume. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF973eopwpI&feature=youtu.be

Two this week

I wasn't as productive this week with only two to show. This first painting was done during our Weds. night figure session. It is quite large at 16x24.

 This second painting I did Thur. morning a short hike off of Cherry Vale rd. Just out side of Boulder.

Paac plein air marathon

"Plein air artists Colorado" had a plein air painting marathon yesterday, of which I participated. We started in Denver at 5am with a sun rise painting. 8x10

 Then we went to Red Rocks where I painted the next two pictures. 11x14

11x14 

After lunch, we went to "Lair of the Bear" open space park. I found this nice tree to paint.

 11x14

Finally, in the evening, We went to Evergreen Lake. It had clouded up, not my favorite light to paint, but ended up with this pretty nice painting despite of the light. I had a lot of fun and met some very talented and nice people. However, today, I am quite exhausted. 

 11x14

 

I also had Thur. and Fri. off from work, so I had time to paint. This was my second on Thur. It is from the Peak to Peak highway south of Nederland a few miles.

11x14

My First Thur. I thought had turned out pretty good, but on the way back to the car it fell on the gravel path wet side down. After it completely drys, I'll brush it off and repaint where needed. Needless to say, I was crushed when it happened. however it's not so bad to keep me from posting it here anyway. Friday was worse. A gust of wind knocked the easel over spilling paint thinner all over my almost finished painting. That one I am not showing, it is too messed up.

12x16

More Rocky Mountain National Park

Sharon and I went back to Rocky Mountain National Park. I painted this in Moraine park just outside of the camping area that our family spent a week in, back in 1972. Coming here always takes me back to that time.

Weds. our model wore a costume which I had a great time painting.

This painting I did just down the road from our house on Monday afternoon. The lilacs were in bloom and I felt like I had to get them in a painting.

I did this on my I pad Fri night. I was just playing, but it turned out kind of neat. Come to think of it I am always just playing.

Painting along Trail Ridge Rd at 12,000 ft.

 Today Sharon and I took a trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.We decided to paint up near about as high as you can go at about 12,000 ft. It was a little cool and windy, but for where we were it was beautiful. This painting is 11x14 and the second of the day. I did an 8x10 warm up painting first seen below this one. They both turned out equally as well. There were lots of people out many of which were very interested in our painting, so we got to talk with some very nice folks.

Monday evening I went up to NCAR  and found soom very interesting light on the flat irons for this 8x10.

 Thur. late afternoon I found some more very cool light  off of Cherry Vale rd. The sun was in and out in and out. and made the spring leaves really glow at times. There I came up with this 8x10

After a two week break, we are back on the Weds. night figure painting. This painting is 16x20

Craming as much as I can in a day

Life has kind of taken over this week, so time and energy haven't allowed for much painting. I did make it out today and got these done. Boy, I do really feel rusty. This first painting I did at a woman's house I met at the Coal Creek Holiday arts and craft show last Nov. She had invited me to her property to paint and I finally got around to it today.

This is an old wagon that sits in the canyon in front of the liquor store. I've been meaning to paint it one of these days and got this sketch of it done earlier this  morning

 This is a view of the flat irons. The narrow lighter strip near the bottom is 93 at the top of the hill just south of Boulder.