plein air

I just returned from an all week trip to Denver, Colorado visiting my brother and chewing up some frequent flyer miles. I took my full paint set with the idea I might get to do a painting for the upcoming Nomadas Del Arte show.

We spent a night at Black Hawk, the ‘Las Vegas’ of Colorado, which is a short drive into the Rockies from Denver. While there, I went out in the early morning to paint Clear Creek, although it certainly wasn’t a very clear creek. Actually, it is the north fork of Clear Creek. I ended up painting just a mile downstream of Black Hawk.

The morning light was wonderful! Below is the scene as I started painting. The sun was just hitting the distant hills with the stream reflecting the bright morning sky.

Another shot of my easel before I actually started painting.

After an hour of painting, the sun peeked over the nearby hill and I was drenched in sunlight. There wasn’t a good way of getting out of the glare of the sun, and I began to have problems judging values and colors. If I weren’t so far from home, perhaps I would have had my shade umbrella, but didn’t bring it. Below is the scene after the sun was completely out.

Below is a snapshot of the painting on the easel when I was about ready to pack it in. I can do the final touches in the studio.

I headed out again to Sand Harbor. I had time to do one quick painting, and then head to James Harold Galleries in Tahoe City to drop off some new paintings.

It was another wonderful day! It was mostly sunny with a few wisps of clouds drifting by. I painted a smaller painting at about the same spot I was yesterday. Shelly Hocknell Zenter, Bonita Paulis, and Penny Shrawder soon arrived.

In about an hour, I just about finished a 8×10. In my rush, I forgot to take a photo of the painting on the easel, and I will post it later. Below is the scene.

Too soon, it was off to James Harold Galleries to drop off some new Yosemite paintings I have been developing the last month or so, and then the long trek home!

Here is one of the paintings now at James Harold Galleries–

Shelly Hocknell Zenter and Bonita Paulis were going to join me painting around Sand Harbor. It was a wonderful day, a few clouds but plenty of sunshine.

I decided to do a 16×20, which is about as large as I paint plein air. If it turned out, could be one of my entries into the Nomadas Del Arte show. Below are a few shots of the day.

The scene I decided to paint–

My easel by a convenient park bench–

Your’s truly painting–

Bonita and Shelly enjoying the day–

My painting on the easel–