The Streaming Artist
An Airstream and an Easel
Arizona to Nevada
2/23 to 3/2
We left Deming NM in some fairly high winds which made for an interesting drive to Bisbee Arizona. We saw quite a few dust storms but fortunately none of them crossed our path and we made it safely to Bisbee.
We set up and luckily the winds were not as bad in this location, so we walked into town and started exploring this quirky and crazy place. Bisbee is a historic mining town and was one of the richest mineral sites in the world. In the early 1900’s it was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. The town is built on a hillside and the homes and streets climb and wind around in a maze-like layout.
We climbed a few steep stairways and looked at all the amazing architecture. There were some great historical buildings as well as lots of dilapidated homes. It was difficult to imagine how one could even restore some of these homes due to the steepness and difficulty getting to the properties.
The following morning, we walked Buddy around town and looked through shop windows and returned a few hours later without our trusted companion so that we could actually go into the stores. The town is filled with lots of artistic flair as well as old historical artifacts. One of our stops was into their library to see some historic photos of the town and look at their collection of older books. Bisbee’s library was the State’s first community library. In the afternoon we did the infamous Bisbee 1000 Stair challenge that is a 4.6-mile race in October where the entrants go up 9 long flights of stairs (80-180 steps) throughout town. It was a great workout and so much fun to see parts of the town that we hadn’t seen. We loved seeing the creative retaining walls, fences, sculptures etc. as well as the funky architecture.
The following morning, we headed out early for a quick stop at a nearby town called Tombstone which is known for its wild west history. We knew it would be touristy because they have reenactments of gun fights etc. Fortunately, we were there before the tourists were there, so we had the town almost to ourselves. It was a bit cheesy for us, but I think if we had young kids it would be a good place to take them to show them what that time period was like.
We moved on from Tombstone to head to Kartchner Caverns State Park. If you have been following us for a while you might remember that we were there last year in the campground but due to Covid, were not able to get a ticket to the Cavern Tour. These caves were touted to be the best in Arizona. We were able to get tickets this year and were glad that we came back to see them. Last year, Ross and I had hiked over these rolling hills and it was amazing to think these caves were right underneath our feet (well a few hundred feet). This State Park is relatively new and the construction is an absolute wonder in itself. These caves were mostly dug out by hand and then they poured an incredible concrete path throughout. They also had a very intricate system of steel doors that we entered through to maintain the temperature of the caves as well as a misting system to tamper down the lint etc. that humans emit and to maintain the humidity of the caves. The caves themselves were beautiful. It is amazing to see the stalagtites, stalagmites, the bacon formations and straws growing from the rocks. It was a magical world underneath those mountains.
These caves are also known for its bats roosting. The female bats migrate from Mexico back to these caves in April through October to give birth to their young. But the researchers don’t know how they find their way back to these caves and in particular the small entry hole into the caves. It is well worth a visit. Unfortunately, there are no cameras allowed in so if you want to see some photos or learn more you will need to look at their website. https://azstateparks.com/kartchner/
We headed north to another town we heard great things about called Prescott, AZ. It is known for it’s historical architecture in old downtown as well as access to the outdoors and mild temperatures because it is located at around 5000 ft.
We had a very nice camping spot outside of town nestled into the rock formations and nearby Watson Lake. We walked over to the lake and hiked a portion of the trail and were mesmerized by the beautiful color of the water and the rock formations.
Later in the afternoon we drove to the center of town with high expectations. The town center was nice and there were some beautiful shops as well as a few old historical bars and taverns. But for us, something was a little lacking. It seems that most of these old charming towns turn into tourist destinations which then looses their charm and urban sprawl occurs. I know that we are part of the problem since we were drawn to these locations, but it seems like certain municipalities do a better job than others of maintaining their charm.
We woke up the next morning to a beautiful blue sky, so we headed out to do the Watson Lake Loop trail. The hike begins winding up and down and through the Granite Dells which are unusual rock formations. The views were stunning overlooking the lake and then eventually we wound our way below the dam to the creek below which ironically was called the Boulder Creek. This section of the trail was called “Over the Hill” which also was ironic since my Birthday was the following day and I’m heading over the hill even though I’m feeling pretty young at heart. The loop was 5.4 miles, but for some reason felt much longer to all of us (including Buddy see the picture below) probably due to the rock scrambling needed to get around. The trail flows into a bike path that is part of the rails to trails system and if we had our bikes with us, we would have ridden it.
The afternoon was spent peacefully while I worked on a few paintings of dogs. The first painting is done with watercolors on watercolor board. This surface does not allow the watercolors to bleed the same way that normal watercolor paper does. The one benefit that I have found with the watercolor board is that it is easy to lift paint off of the surface which can be a good thing at times but also does not allow me to layer colors. The second painting I did is of the same subject matter but with a paint called Gouache (sounds like g-wash) on watercolor paper. Gouache is like a cross between watercolors and acrylic. It flows a little bit like watercolor but instead of being transparent it is opaque. This means that I am able to add some lighter colors over the darker colors which is not possible in watercolors. So one set of dogs is in watercolor on watercolor board and the other is Gouache on watercolor paper. Which do you prefer I’d love to know.
On our last full day in Prescott, we decided to hike in the Ponderosa forests which the area is also known for. We did a loop starting from the Spence Trailhead north of town. It was a beautiful winding trail through the trees, and it definitely had a west coast feel to it. It was peaceful and quiet with very few people on the trails.
The afternoon was spent doing some necessities as well as some more painting and then we headed into town for a nice dinner out. Prescott does do a very nice job of providing the history and photos of the historical buildings and streets.
We started heading further west and made a stopover in Las Vegas. It was the day after my birthday, so we decided to celebrate with a nice dinner and seeing the Cirque Du Soleil show Beatles Love. Normally we prefer not to stay in large commercial RV parks, but we have to say that the Oasis RV Park on the edge of Las Vegas was fantastic. It was huge (about 900 spots), extremely well organized, clean and had security. They even had mobile dog groomers, mobile RV washing, 3 pools, hot tub and an 18 hole putting golf course. We only stayed one night but would definitely stay here again for a few nights to spend in Vegas. We Ubered into Vegas and had a fabulous dinner and then saw Cirque Du Soleil’s Beatles Love which was amazing. Every time we see a Cirque Du Soleil production we are blown away by the creativity, the music, the athleticism, the costuming, and the stage sets. What m a magical evening! My brother Jeff and his old college roommate happened to be in town for a conference so we were able to catch up with them briefly as an added bonus. To top off the evening I played some Craps (which is my favorite) and won $250. Overall, our one night stay in Vegas was fantastic and surprisingly makes us want to come back on our next trip west.
And now for a little humor and inspiration seen on this trip. Can you figure out which picture was taken at the RV campground in Las Vegas?
From Snow to Warm Desert – Boulder to New Mexico
February 15 – February 22
As I’ve said before in this blog, traveling in the winter in an RV requires a lot of flexibility. Ross and I had planned a 3000 mile loop in which we were planning on going to a lot of ski resorts, beginning with Copper Mountain, Crested Butte and then to Taos. Once again, our plans were derailed by weather. The day that we had planned to leave Boulder had been forecasted to be a lot of snow, so we decided to sit it out and wait until the roads were clear. After a few days delay, we left and started to head south instead of going over the Colorado Mountains as originally planned because it was a holiday weekend and they had received a fair amount of snow. As we were watching the weather, was also saw in the forecast that an artic blast was coming into Colorado and Northern New Mexico with temperatures ranging from -9F to 9F degrees. We decided that not only would that make camping uncomfortable and difficult, but also the skiing wouldn’t be that enjoyable either. So, plan B or C was brought into place.
On one of our past trips, we had hoped to get to a small town in New Mexico called Truth or Consequences so we decided that we would head that direction where the weather looked pretty good. While investigating locations in the South of New Mexico we came across the White Sands National Park (which is only 2 years old) as well as a town called Bisbee. So we re-routed our journey and we had two big driving days for us (we try and limit our drives to around 4 hours). Our first night we camped at Trinidad State Park in CO which is a frequent overnight location for us. The second night we stayed at a Harvest Host location at Dessert Lakes Golf Course. It was an easy enough place to get into and allowed us close proximity to White Sands NP. The mountains nearby were beautiful and the sunset was gorgeous.
We woke up the next morning and headed over to White Sand National Park with low expectations since we have already been to the Great Sand Dunes NP in Colorado. But we found a beautiful surprise! The National Park has a 16 mile out and back road, and when you look at it compared to the expanse of White Sand Acreage it is a small percent. It is 275 sq. miles of gypsum sand dunes which is the largest in the world. The national park is relatively new and because of this (we think) they allow dogs on the trails and hikes. When we started driving into the park the sand dunes were small but beautiful with Yucca plants and other small shrubs.
We stopped at one of the first pull outs that had a boardwalk out into the dunes. The glare of the white sands was immense.
After walking around and exploring we set up the camper for a quick breakfast break and then proceeded up the road because we were concerned that on a holiday weekend there would not be enough parking space for us. We wrong about that! There are enormous salt flats that have been plowed for a ton of parking. We got to the end of the road where we wanted to hike and set up along the edge of some dunes. Once we climbed up to the top of the first dune, we were struck by the vastness of these white rolling dunes.
With the blue sky and beautiful mountains and starkness of the white dunes it was breathtaking. At that portion of the park there is a five-mile trail that is marked by red posts, but we were free to wander wherever we chose with Buddy! We all started off on a hike, but believe it or not it was getting hot and Buddy wasn’t as excited as we were.
So, after a bit Ross and Buddy headed back to the trailer and I continued with the hike. I found the soft undulating curves of the dunes, the shadow lines, and mountains to be mesmerizing and I would have continued to walk forever but it was getting hot, and I was worried about getting back.
The joy of traveling with your home is that we set up and had lunch in the parking lot with views. Buddy got to enjoy a nap in the sun and we took off our shoes and and relished in the softest sand I have ever felt. It was fun to people watch and relax in the warmth. It was a perfect day and reminded us both of why we love to travel.
From White Sands NP we drove to Truth or Consequences (a town named after the TV show). It is known to be a town with some artistic flair and hot springs. We pulled into town in the evening and weren’t sure that we had made a good choice. The following morning, we got up and after giving Buddy a quick walk in some open space next to our RV park we walked into town. The town was very quiet (it was a holiday so perhaps that was the reason) and we did go through some art galleries, but we weren’t super impressed. The town had an interesting mix of run-down buildings, historic charm, and some that had murals and artistic flair. Overall, it isn’t a place that I would say you need to go out of your way for.
The redeeming factor is the hot springs. We booked an hour at the Riverbend Hot Springs which is the nicest facility in town and over looks the river and mountains in the background. It was gorgeous and extremely relaxing and really made this stop worthwhile. If we ever need to pass through here again, we will stay at the Riverbend RV park (although it is very difficult to get into since there are only 6 spots) and spend the afternoon relaxing. From there we went over to the local brewery and enjoyed a beer with the locals.
Heading a bit further Southwest, we moved on to Deming New Mexico to visit the largest winery in New Mexico. The winds were a bit crazy, so we spent the afternoon hunkered down in the trailer making future plans and reservations for the next week and a half. At happy hour we made our way over to the winery to enjoy some wine tasting. The wines were enjoyable but being the snob that I am I did not feel the need to buy any to bring on the trip.
No paintings were created to share yet but I am working on a new series for an soon to be announced greeting card side venture!
Next stop is Arizona as we head West to California.
Steamboat Springs Sept 17-25
I write this latest update watching the glorious orange sun rise above the mountains in Steamboat to start the last day of an amazing week of painting. Ross, Buddy and I have been here for the week so that I could participate in the Steamboat Spring Plein Air Festival. As I mentioned in my last post, these events are a friendly competition amongst plein air painters. There are painters from all over the country competing in this event, and we are given certain parameters into which we must paint which mostly includes in this case, anywhere within 50 miles of Steamboat Springs. The event organizer was the Steamboart Art Museum and they put on such an amazing event that I plan to come back next year. The week for me began with a great visit with a friend who lives in Steamboat who spent a few hours driving me all around, showing me some of her favorite places that she thought I would enjoy painting. For those who haven’t been to Steamboat Springs, CO, the countryside is stunning and full of lots of ranches with glorious vistas and old barns. The ranch life and old west feel is very strong here. There wasn’t a day that I drove to a location to paint that I didn’t stop the car a few times to think about also painting the vista I saw. Unfortunately, a few of those locations didn’t have a wide enough pull out where I felt safe to stand for a few hours and paint. However, I took lots of photos of things to paint when in my studio.
The first day started with the official stamp in of the canvases so that the organizer sees that you are starting with a blank canvas, stamp it with their logo and send you off with lots of maps and a schedule of events. This was a “free” day to paint wherever we wanted. I decided to head to a glorious Aspen Grove off a hiking trail that my friend had shown me the day before. The trees were just starting to turn colors and the ferns were already a glorious reddish brown. I loved the contrast in colors and the dappled light in the tress. It was so peaceful to stand and paint there for a few hours with a babbling creek behind me and hikers going past. It was a pleasant surprise to hear so many of the locals say that they knew it was Plein Air Week. Little did I know that this event was so well publicized and anticipated by the local community. I went back to the Airstream where we were parked for the week in a beautiful state park, happy with my first painting. Always a good way to start off!
The second day of the competition was the quick draw at the farmers market area. These are always a little stressful because you are given 2 hours to paint and then a short time after that to frame the piece and have it up on an easel for sale. I got to the farmers market early to walk around and see if anything spoke to me. It felt too overwhelming, so I chose a more serene spot on a bridge overlooking the Yampa River which was within the boundaries of the area we could paint in. I decided to do an acrylic painting with my palette knife (instead of the more traditional brush) because I tend to paint faster and with more emotion in that style. Lots of people stopped by to watch me paint as well as a few local friends one of which helped document the event for me with some action shots.
I felt pretty content with my final painting, ran back to my car and framed it and hustled over to the location where the sale was to begin. I had no idea what to expect but WOW it was crazy. I set up my easel with my painting and price tag and BAM it was sold within minutes. I was beyond flattered! The response was overwhelming and to my surprise there were several others who were disappointed that they didn’t buy it first, so I handed out every business card I had. I floated back to the trailer on a high.
The third day was another “free” day to paint whatever we choose, so I drove out to another country road that my friend had shown me, and pulled over to paint a few barns that had a backdrop of the mountains with a hint of the colors changing. It was a hot and windy day which provided a few challenges, and was surrounded by the chorus of cows mooing. Nothing like really immersing yourself in the feel of the environment.
The forecast for the next few days was for a cold spell and the weather predictions were correct. We awoke the next morning to a dusting of snow. I set out with my down jacket and mittens to head to Yampa (a small town nearby) where we were provided a few locations to paint including some ranches on private land. I drove for about an hour trying to find the perfect location. With so many choices it was hard. I finally decided to paint a partly collapsing barn surrounded by trees. I loved the rustic textural feel, as well as the hidden colors in the wood as the sun hit the front side. I painted away and was joined by another artist, but after about two hours of standing in the freezing cold, with the wind blowing steadily, I looked at her and said I need to go sit it my car and get warm. Instead, she suggested we pack up and head back to the town of Yampa for a warm cup of coffee. What a brilliant idea that was! A few of us ended up in a local diner having a coffee and talking about art. It was a great way to get warm. I was able to finish off the painting back at our campground and was happy with the result and loved how whimsical that barn turned out.
The wind continued and I really wanted to get a second painting in that afternoon. So drove back to a location I had passed in my car on my way to Yampa, and sat in my car and painted a watercolor of the hay bails in a field. I don’t know what it is about hay bails, but I have always loved seeing them in the fields in fall. I certainly love watercolors for a lot of reasons, but the fact that I can do them while sitting in a car was an added perk for the day.
The following day the organizers had arranged for us to paint on another private ranch. Again there were so many options to paint….barns, cows, rusty old farm equipment, the Yampa River meandering along and many other vistas. I choose to go with a view of the Yampa River. The sun just sparkled on the water and with the babbling water sounds I couldn’t resist that location. I spent the next few hours painting a watercolor that I hoped captured the peaceful feel.
There were lots of other artists coming and going so it was fun to talk and see what else everyone was painting. A few of us sat around at lunch sharing art tips, thoughts and philosophical theories which made for a fun day.
Our next arranged location was at Alpine Mountain Ranch which is a new development with huge lots and expensive homes with impressive amenities. Again there were some many choices….barns, horses, lakes, and lots of views and trees changing colors. One of my new painting friends told me that she was heading to location where she had been told the Aspen trees were in all their splendor. I followed her up to the location where there were quite a few other painters. As soon as I walked around, I could see why. It was a magical location. I decided to paint with my acrylics and do another palette knife painting. I started off with a base coat of vibrant colors and let that dry. I then painted over that with my palette knife and allowed some of those colors to come through. I added the Aspen tree trunks last and was so happy with the result.
I headed back to the campground to start varnishing and framing all my completed paintings since I needed to have them completed for the final show. But first the organizers had another event/pre-sale arranged for us. There was a sunset happy hour/buffet back at the Alpine Mountain Ranch where we could put a painting up for sale. I chose my painting “I’m Still Standing” the whimsical barn that I painted in the cold. The event was a great mingling event with the other artists and art collectors. My painting sold to a lovely couple with a great sense of humor saying that the barn represented their future house after putting their grandkids through medical school.
After dropping off all the framed paintings (we were allowed to submit 5 paintings to the competition) to the museum, we had a relaxing and fun evening having a great dinner with my two friends and their husbands on their deck overlooking Steamboat. What a glorious way to end the week.
Friday was a beautiful day so I decided to head out and try and get one more painting in before our departure on Saturday. I put Buddy in the car and we headed up into the mountains where I could see lots of Aspen trees in their bright shimmering yellow. I spotted a nice pull out with a rustic farm fence and lots of trees in the background. I loved how my eye was pulled into the Aspen Grove by the fence line. It provided a great start to a painting which I hope to finish off in the studio when I get home.
Then it was time to head off to the Museum for the jury and the show. It was great to walk around and see the 200 paintings created by all my fellow artists. There was a variety of styles, subject matter and skill level. I did not win any awards, but I had a great response to my paintings and sold at least one. I left before the end of the show and the art will be hanging until Nov 6th if you are in the area stop by the Steamboat Art Museum.
Some of the take aways for me from the show and the feedback were: continue to paint both watercolors and acrylics. Don’t worry so much about trying to get into a gallery but use social media and email marketing more to sell what I want to create and not what a gallery wants me to create. Lastly, it seems that my palette style of painting acrylics with the vibrant colors seems to speak to a lot of people and is more unique. Since I enjoy the methodology, I think I will create a series in that style and see where that journey takes me. And now it is time to head home and get ready for a few busy weeks of Open Studios in Boulder. If you are in the area please feel free to come by my Open Studio Sale/Show on Oct 2,3, 16 &17, from 12-5. Feel free to message me for more information and the address if you do not have it already.
Boulder Plein Air Festival
Boulder/Lyons June 6-11
What a week it was! This past week was the Boulder Plein Air Festival and I thought I’d share with you what it is like to be involved with such an event and a little bit about how each painting was created. If you want to skip the details, be sure to jump to the end of this post for some exciting news!
Before I go into the details of the event, I thought I would share with you my plein air setup since so many people ask me about this. When I am painting in acrylics I have a large pack that weighs about 20 pounds. Inside the pack is a tripod, my easel, a palette holder, an umbrella, a stay wet palette, paint brushes, a sketch book and palette knives, about 10 tubes of paint, my painting apron, a hat, paper towel to wipe my brushes, water to drink and washes my brushes, a spray bottle, and a Panel Pak that allows my to carry to painting panels (wet or dry). I also have sunscreen, bug spray, a trash bag, a bungee cord and a snack bar for those longer days. My watercolor setup is much smaller and lighter because I usually sit and paint in my lap, so I don’t need the whole easel setup. In my watercolor pack I carry a small folding stool, a travel watercolor kit with a few extra tubes of paint (unique colors that I might need for just that day), a water bottle for my to drink and use for painting, paint brushes, paper towel, hat, bug spray, sunscreen and watercolor paper. You can see from the photos that this medium of painting is much more manageable. You can see the difference below:
If you want more details about each of these products please feel free to ask me and I can write another blog describing each of these items functions.
The first morning started off with all the entrants stopping by a central location with their blank canvases that they anticipate using for the week. The host stamps the back of these canvases so that they know everyone starts off with a blank canvas. Everyone is provided a list of recommended locations to paint, but we can paint anywhere within Boulder County lines. I had been searching out locations that I thought would be good the few weeks leading up to the event. Boulder has received a lot of rain recently so everything is green and lush but I wanted to paint more than just green. The wildflowers had started blooming so I knew where I could find some color.
I started off doing my first painting at a location where I often hike with Buddy. I had noticed that the glorious poppies had started to bloom, and there was an amazing vista of the Flatirons in the distance. I hiked up the steep hill with my pack on, set up my easel around 6 am to catch the morning light as well as beat the heat. (Unfortunately, we experienced a heat wave the entire week, so I was often painting in 90-degree heat.) It was a bit of a challenge to paint in this location because I was standing on a sloped surface. When I am painting, I often will step back about 6 ft every 10 minutes so that I can get a better perspective of my progress and see what needs adjusting. Going back and forth all morning dodging rocks and being on a slope was a challenge. In this painting I was using the poppies and morning light on the grasses to guide the viewers eye back in the painting to the distant Flatirons. I was able to capture the effect I wanted and was happy with my painting.
That afternoon I decided to head over to Chautauqua Park to start a sketch of one of the charming cottages. I found a fairly shady spot and sat down to get a base sketch done. I intended this painting to be a watercolor because I have found that I am able to get better detail with my watercolors. Perhaps it is because I have a lot more experience in watercolors than I do in acrylics. Unfortunately a thunderstorm pulled in and it started to rain so I decided that I would paint this one at a later date. It is now a half done painting waiting to be finished another day.
The next morning, I got up early again and decided to paint along the St. Vrain river in nearby Lyons. We camp here often and love the rocks, the river and the amazing purple wildflowers. I have been studying a lot about composition, movement in a painting and selecting focal points. With this painting I really tried to work on the composition. The river is meant to draw your eye into the painting, the tree on the right is intended to hold your eye and not let it flow off the page, the edge of the main rock structure draws your eye to the center and the brighter yellow color adjacent to the dark green is meant to also give you a focal point. It has been an interesting exercise to think more about these elements and try to incorporate them into my work.
That afternoon I was in search of a good shady spot again and remembered a church that I used to bike past. This is a quaint historic church perched on the top of a rolling hill with great big trees and a beautiful cemetery. I walked around the grounds to see which viewpoint I preferred. I stopped to take a few photos of some beautiful peonies and was startled when an enormous snake slithered past my feet. Fortunately it was not a rattlesnake…..but it sure gave me a scare. I ultimately found a great spot to sit and paint for the afternoon (and made sure there were no snakes nearby). I decided this subject matter would be better suited to watercolors. I am trying out a new painting surface (probably not the best idea to do in a competition) which is a hardboard covered in a linen the accepts watercolor. I liked this idea because with this surface I would be able to varnish and frame the painting without needing protective glass (as is needed with traditional watercolor paper). The downside to this new surface is that the watercolor paints do not run and bleed like they do on traditional paper. However, the paint does lift off the paper which means you can correct mistakes but have to be very careful not to paint over areas that are already completed.
On Day 3 I got up early again and went back to make a few touch ups to the painting I had done the previous day at the St. Vrain river. Often I will take a painting and hang it somewhere in the house where I can stare at it for awhile to see what changes it needs. I saw a few tweaks that I thought would make the painting better so I went back for a few hours to make the painting stronger.
That afternoon I headed back to Chautauqua Park but decided not to work on my half done painting of the cottage, but instead to start on a painting of the Ranger Station with the Flatirons in the background. On this painting I was trying to focus on capturing the architecture. With my architecture background and drawing skills I have been thinking about going back and using them more. Early in my painting career I focused on doors and windows of Europe and have somehow let that go. It has resurfaced in my desire to paint, and I decided to follow that feeling. I placed myself in a great shady spot that is full of tourist. It was a bit intimidating because I had a lot of people stop to look and ask questions. I enjoy the interaction and ultimately it was rewarding. This painting took a lot more preparation because I had to make the drawing more accurate. I did take some liberties and made a few changes to simplify the building. This painting was also done in two different sessions because it was labor intensive and as I looked at it back at home, I realized that I needed to make some changes. It was hot and grey afternoon so the shadows were not strong, but I would like to go back another day when the lighting is better.
The final morning I was able to paint at a private residence out in the country with gorgeous flower beds. The owner was gracious enough to let a few of us paint on their property. I walked around and couldn’t decide if I should paint some flowers close up or do a larger subject matter. Ultimately, I decided to go for a larger view. I loved how the walls of this garden provided a sense of drawing the eye back and yet enclosing the flower bed to keep the eye focused in with the strong color. This ended up being one of my favorites that I painted over the 4 days of painting.
The next big challenge of painting in a Plein Air Festival is that the artist has to have all their work submitted by a certain time and it must be framed and ready for a sale. So, I made a mad dash home that afternoon to varnish my paintings, let them dry and then frame them. This generally means that most artists paint in a standard size panel/canvas and has already pre-purchased frames to fit these paintings.
At last, the exhibition is hung, and the show and jurying begin. Each Festival has its own rules on how many paintings can be entered for the jury, what awards will be given out etc. And the jury process is always interesting to see what the judge picks. It is subjective and sometimes I don’t always agree with the paintings they choose. I will say, that there were about 200 paintings submitted by 50 artists and most of them were of very high standards. I was extremely pleased to find out at the end of the evening that I had won a 2nd Place in Acrylics award for my painting “It’s Poppy Season”. I was so excited to say the least! If you are a Boulder local and you would like to see all the great art produced during the week stop by the temporary gallery at 1881 9th Street between Canyon and Walnut, Suite 110.
My next Plein Air Festival on the calendar is in Steamboat Springs, CO in September and I am already looking forward to it and all the fall colors!
South Eastern Colorado and Lots of Painting!
April 14-25
We are now back in Colorado and we are loving being back in the trees and mountains. As much as we loved all the rock formations of Utah, we do love the mountains of Colorado.
We decided to stay in Dolores, CO based on an RV park with great wifi and cell phone coverage because I was going to attend the Plein Air Painting Convention online. After getting set up and giving Buddy a good walk around that campground which is on acreage, we went across the road to the McPhee Recreation Area and Reservoir. The area has beautiful 360-degree views of the mountain ranges, but seeing how low the water level was in the reservoir was shocking. Colorado needs rain/snow in a bad way.
We then stopped by the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. This area is full of archaeological sites from Native American Tribes. The museum was closed, but we did the short hike up to the preserved Escalante Pueblo built in the 1100’s.
On the 15th I got up early to hike with Buddy and get ready for the Plein Air Live Convention. The next three days were action packed and full of lots of learning. It was fascinating to watch various professional artists paint a variety of subject matters and all of them had a different approach. Fortunately, I am able to replay the event, because it was too much information to absorb in such a short time.
On the first afternoon of the convention I had to get out since it was a beautiful day and I couldn’t sit inside anymore, so I did a quick watercolor painting from our campground. One of the other campers (who we became friends with) ended up buying the painting. I was so flattered and happy that they loved it.
On the 2nd day I watched an amazing demo of an artist painting rock formations. I was inspired to paint a scene from Capital Reef, and the weather in Dolores wasn’t great that day, so I painted inside and was fairly happy with the outcome.
My head was spinning on the last night with thoughts about color mixing, warm and cool colors and the different shade and shadow techniques we learned. I have so much to work on!
After the final day of the convention, I needed a lot of exercise so we headed over to the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument trail in the Sand Creek Area. We were able to take Buddy on the hike to see remnants of Puebloan homes from the 1200’s. The trail was fantastic, and we saw our first spring wildflowers. I am always thrilled when bright colors come back to the landscape.
It was also great to see some of these ruins from the trail.
After we finished the hike, we decided to go across the street to a winery. The Sutcliffe Vineyard sign said that it was one of the most beautiful vineyards in Colorado, so we had to go! We were so happy that we did, because the setting was fantastic. We sat with a glass of wine, enjoying the view, while I painted their doors. I felt like I was back in Italy and the wine was good. What a perfect way to end the day.
The following morning, we got up and headed over to Mesa Verde National Park. We had been there a few years ago and loved it. In the past we did the Cliff Palace tour where we went with a guide and were able to climb down into the cliff dwellings. Due to Covid there were no tours but we still enjoyed the views from the overlooks.
We decided to do a hike called the Petroglyph hike. There were petroglyphs, but both of us felt that the hike was much more than that. The hike begins with lots of switch backs dropping you down quickly in elevation, and then along a ledge/rim trail between rocks, through caves, around trees with fantastic vistas. I could feel the Puebloan energy, and felt like I was transported back in time and was walking with them. It was easy to imagine how they must have lived in these cave dwellings and moved between cliff dwellings. Another fantastic hike that we would highly recommend.
That afternoon I decided to repaint the doors from the Vineyard. After looking at it (and having learned so much recently) I felt that the first version was flat. I decided it would be better to pull the viewer into the painting by adding the side wall in perspective, open one of the doors to make the viewer want to go inside, and to also add some warm light glowing from the inside. I also decided to improvise and add some leaves to the vines, add some shadows based on what I assumed would be morning light (we were there with afternoon light behind the building). I think all these changes enhanced the second painting and was happy to explore it further.
We left Dolores and headed North to start our slow trek back to Boulder. We drove Highway 145 which is one of the San Juan Scenic Byways. The road follows the Dolores River and was full of painting inspiration. We started off in a glorious valley with green pastures and beautiful homes. It felt so peaceful and quiet that I wanted to stay longer. Eventually the road wound up out of the valley towards the snow capped Mountains. There were a hundred spots that I could have pulled over to paint. Eventually we came to a pullout that turned out to be a place that we could have camped. If we had not had campground reservations in Ridgway we would have stayed the night. However, we made the best of it and parked for a few hours while I painted, Ross played guitar and Buddy played in the river. Fun was had by all!
While painting this painting I was able to incorporate more of what I learned over the past few days. I started with a quick sketch to try and make sure that my composition worked for me. I then laid down a warm base coat of paint on the panel (which adds an undertone of warmth). I also was very conscious of mixing warmer paint colors for the area in sunlight (even though it was a grey day) and cooler coolers for the areas in shade. I also studied the color of the water and used more greens and browns than I would have in the past. I was pretty happy with the outcome and made just a few minor adjustments to finish it off when we got to our next location.
We packed up and headed further North through a cute town of Rico, through groves of aspen trees, over a pass with striking views of the mountains and down through more rocky canyons. We have decided that this area is going to have to be further explored in the fall when the Aspens are turning colors and I could paint for days!! Ultimately, we pulled into the town of Ridgway which is charming and into Ridgway State Park.
We were able to get our 2nd Covid shot in Montrose, so we laid low on the first day and enjoyed walking around the park. Fortunately, we had very minimal reactions to the shot, so we were able to do a short hike in the morning and then proceed to Telluride for the day. We had spent a few days skiing in Telluride years ago and loved it. It is a beautiful town tucked into the end of a valley with mountains surrounding it on three sides. The historical buildings are well maintained and restored, and there is a great feeling walking around town. We stopped and had a nice lunch outdoors just in the nick of time. The temperature plummeted as we finished up, and within 20 minutes it was snowing.
The following day we spent the morning refining the arts! Ross played guitar while I made some adjustments to a few of the paintings done along the way. We then headed over to the other charming historical town of Ouray. We had passed through Ouray years ago when we were in a small pop-up camper. We strolled the streets and loved looking at the historical buildings with the backdrops of amazing mountains. Ouray unfortunately has a bit to touristy feeling for us, so a few hours was good.
We headed back to walk around Ridgway which again is filled with historical buildings from the mining days. With this being an even smaller town it was a quick walk and then back to the campground.
Ross headed off to work on his golf, and I walked down to the beautiful river on the campground to paint.
Due to the winds (and it has been windy all week) I decided to work in watercolor so that I wouldn’t need to set up my easel and risk having it blow over. It was late afternoon light on the river and the background was in shade, so it made for a darker composition, but I loved the glimmer of light and movement in the river. There are a few things that I am really happy with in this painting. I added some yellow ochre to the green/brown river color to show the light and the reflection of the bottom of the river. I was able to leave some whites from the paper to show through and I also used a bit of white gouache (which is an opaque watercolor) to add some additional whites at the end to capture the movement of the water.
On our last full day in the area we woke up to a glorious warm still day. I decided to head out on the Enchanted Mesa Trail which climbs up the hillside out of the campground, over the dam wall and along the reservoir. The colors were magical, and had we had one more non-windy day I would definitely painted from that trail.
Ross picked me up at the end of the trail and we drove up the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton, which was an old mining town halfway between Ouray and Durango. It is another road that we had driven in the fall season and loved. The road begins as a narrow windy road with steep drop off’s, and then winds past old historic mines and shacks, over snowy mountain passes, past red colored mountains into Silverton.
It was time to pack up and start heading home. The rest of the trip will basically be a few stops along the way to break up the drive. I think Buddy is getting ready to be at home in his own backyard as are we. Stay well until we meet again!
Capital Reef / Natural Bridges National Monument
April 8-13
We have heard from a few of you that on previous posts the formatting of photos are being squished and stretched. So on this post we are trying a new format. Please let us know if you are having issues. If you are, you can always go directly to website (TheStreamingArtist.com) and that issue will be resolved since it appears to only be happening in the email version.
Having felt like we got a good overview of Kodachrome Basin State Park we moved on and started our journey to Capital Reef National Park. We drove Highway 12 which is called The All American Road. We had driven it a few years ago after having hiked the Grand Canyon and had forgotten how spectacular a road it is. Utah is really a stunning state with so much variety in mountains and rock colors and shapes. There are sections with beautiful rock structures that look like old Greek temples, then sections of red rocks that feel like castles, rounded slick rock formations to make you feel like you are on the moon, and then we ultimately wound our way through amazing forests of Aspen Trees.
At one of the scenic overlooks, it named that section of the highway as the million dollar highway of Utah because it took them 5 years to build it. It allowed them to connect several towns that at one time were difficult to access. Looking at all the vast arid rock you can see why. We did stop and enjoy a cup of tea while taking in the view,
We have decided that we will make a trip back here one fall to see the colors in this spectacular setting.
We were having difficulty finding a camp spot, so for the first night we stayed in the town of Loa. It was a depressed little town, but allowed us to catch up on emails etc. since we had been out of range for 4 days. Somehow, we were lucky because we called into one of the campgrounds and someone had cancelled, and we got their spot. We ended up with a double wide spot that backed to open space with views! The Thousand Lakes Campground is one that I would recommend. It was well kept, they also had a chuck wagon bbq restaurant there that was really good. They also offered homemade muffins delivered daily, had a nice lawn area and a mini store and laundry mat. It was about 20 minutes to Capital Reef but was well worth it.
We spent the first afternoon driving the scenic road in Capital Reef NP. It is a much smaller National Park than the others and only has one main road with 2 dirt road off shoots. We drove all the roads, and the dirt roads are best if you have a sturdy car since there are some ruts etc. The dirt roads wind through amazing canyons of immense rocks but are narrow. The end of these roads have small parking lots for the trailheads but not enough spaces for everyone, so people are parked randomly along the sides of the roads which makes it even more challenging. Once again there were a few too many people for our liking.
After having been to Zion and Bryce, Capital Reef didn’t feel that spectacular. As I said to Ross, if this had been our first park location we would have been blown away. It is beautiful and has some amazing Red Rocks the lead to massive rock formations as you get farther into the park.
We decided that we would get up early to beat the crowds and hike the Golden Throne Trail. We have found that if you get out early and do the more difficult hikes, you can get away from the crowds. It was a beautiful trail that climbed up through the canyons and switched backed up to the base of the Golden Throne. The trail gave us great vistas of the canyon and the massive rocks. On the way up we only passed 4 people and had the top to ourselves. But as we descended the masses were starting to come up the hill.
We did have the pleasure of running into some young big horn Sheep. It is amazing to watch them scramble up rocks like it is nothing.
One thing to note about Torrey (where we were staying) is that the winds were pretty strong and consistent. I was a bit disappointed since I would have loved to paint our view. However, with the winds that we had, my easel would have blown over, so instead we relaxed in the afternoon.
We left Torrey and started our journey back to Colorado. We drove East from Torrey along Hwy 24 and then Hwy 95. Both these roads are designated Scenic byways and are absolutely well worth that designation. The vistas are incredible and we felt like we went through such a variety of terrains. This is a highly recommended road from us. We stopped for lunch at an overlook of Hite which is located off of Lake Powell. The views were spectacular and made for a perfect lunch spot. Unfortunately due to the drought the Colorado River/Lake Powell were extremely low.
We had no official plans of where to stop for the evening but decided to pop into the Natural Bridges National Monument. What a pleasant, unexpected surprise that was! It turns out that this park had 3 amazing rock bridges. Some interesting trivia for any fellow nerds is that Bridges are formed by erosive action of water, and arches are formed by other forces such as freeze/thaw. The first bridge one sees is Sipapu bridge which is the second largest natural bridge in the world. It is 220 feet high and spans 268 feet wide and 53 feet thick. You have to look carefully to see it since it blends with the other rocks in this lighting.
The second bridge is the Kachina Bridge (considered to be the youngest bridge of the park) which is thicker and more massive (210 feet high, 204 feet span and 93 feet thick) because it has not eroded as much as the others.
The last significant bridge (they say there are others throughout the park) is Owachomo which means rock mound, and is named that way because of the mound on the top left of the bridge. Owachomo is 106 feet high, spans 180 feet wide and 9 feet thick. If you look closely on the photo below, you can see people under the bridge to help you with the immense scale.
We were so excited to see these that we decided the spend the night nearby at a boondocking area (free camping off the grid) so that we could go back early the next morning to hike down into the canyon to see Sipapu up close and personal. We had a mellow evening with a stunning sunset and then rose early.
The trail down to Sipapu Bridge was fantastic. We climbed down over rocks that had stairs carved into them, down three wooden ladders made of old tree branches, a couple of flights of metal stairs (that must have been airlifted in), across rock ledges and under sheer walls of rock.
Since we were the first ones on the trail we were able to have the trail to ourselves and stopped to enjoy some breakfast on a rock out cropping over looking the bridge.
The size of the bridge is impressive. Another fantastic and memorable hike in the books.
On the hike back to the top we must have been getting hungry because we saw these two rocks and named then Cupcake Rock and BLT Rock.
Onward to Southeastern Colorado!
Kodachrome Basin State Park and a Slot Canyon
April 4-8
The next stop on our journey was Kodachrome Basin State Park which is very close to Bryce and was recommended by another Airstreamer. We arrived and settled in and at first were underwhelmed by the park, but loved that it was quiet and not crowded. The afternoon got quite hot and surprisingly we had to turn on the AC which seemed crazy after having been skiing and running the heat for a month. As the afternoon cooled off, we had a great BBQ dinner outside under the Juniper trees and we took an evening walk through part of the park.
We soon started to discover why this is such a beautiful place. The rock formations here look like they are sculpted out of red clay (whereas in Bryce the hoodoos look like sand drippings). They also have 70 monolithic spires called pipes/chimneys that stick up. The park got it’s name from the contrast of colors and Kodak Film gave them permission to name the park after their film. The sun was setting behind some of the rocks formations just as we got back to our camp spot to finish off another beautiful day.
Dusk with views towards Bryce in the background
Because the days are warm and we don’t like to leave Buddy in the Airstream when it is hot, we got up early to do the signature hike of this park. The morning was very cool as we started the Panorama Trail but we were soon shedding layers. This hike led us through some of the signature rock formations such as the Hat Shop, The Ballerina and few others that we named along the way. We then got to a section called the Secret Passage which led us too a beautiful cove area with slick rock formations and narrow walkways through the rocks. I also fell in love with what I dubbed sand art.
The last stop and turn around point, was a location called Cool Cave. The end of the trail led us through a dry riverbed into an enormous cave that had an opening where if it was raining I think it would have been a waterfall (you can get the sense of the scale with Ross standing in the cave).
I think both Bryce and Kodachrome Basin would be interesting locations to see when it is raining or soon after a rainfall. I think one could actually watch the erosion taking place or at least get to visualize it even better.
At one of the locations which was called Indian Cave, you could see handprints scraped out of the rock. We were intrigued by them and went up to touch them and were surprised how easily the sandstone wiped away. Sadly I’m sure most of these handprints were from people like us which isn’t going to help the preservation of these sights. We were also amazed that the path was mostly red sand. Ross felt very much at home like he was in Australia. I’m always surprised when I find sand in locations that are inland.
In the afternoon we took a drive to the town of Escalante so that we could find out more about the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument and also get some cell phone reception and resupply our refrigerator. The drive to Escalante was beautiful, and if we hadn’t just been in Zion and Bryce, we would have been even more blown away. We were able to stop by the visitor center to get some maps for future hikes. Amazingly, even with all the tourists driving the same route as we are doing, there is very little access to healthy food. Fortunately, we did a stock up back in St. George, but I keep thinking how do the locals get any fresh fruit or veggies? We stopped at the one grocery store in town but the selection was extremely limited. It made me realize how fortunate we are to normally have access to healthy food and how many others probably live off of canned or frozen vegetables. The nearest supermarket I was told was 85 miles away.
We were woken up at 4:30 am to some huge gusts of wind. This area is definitely prone to some wind. Unfortunately, because it is so dry here that when the wind kicks up so the does the dust and sand. It ended up being a much cooler day so we took Buddy on a hike with us up the Angel’s Palace trail. Buddy blended in the rocks. It was a slightly elevated trail above the valley and gave us a great perspective of the area. The wind made it a little bit cool, but we were glad we were out there.
The afternoon we spent dealing with some trip planning for the next few weeks as well as laundry. Normally I would not mention the laundry, but this campground had the cutest building for the laundry, designed to replicate an old western style store with brand new machines. I also loved the name because we had red dirt on everything! When you are on the road for a long trip, laundry is an important feature, and when you find a good clean laundry it is a highlight.
I also worked prepping a few canvases for upcoming paintings. Unfortunately, I haven’t been moved by the scenery here to paint it. There are striking views but compositionally I don’t find them worth putting down on canvas.
In the evening Buddy and I took a long walk on the Grand Parade Trail and watched the sun glow on the mountains. It was a peaceful way to end the day.
We woke up on the last day at Kodachrome to a still day. Buddy and I did a morning walk and the silence was blissful. This campground is amazingly quiet and feels empty even though it is full. The trails are almost empty of people and everyone seems to keep to themselves. Ross and I felt like we had this state park to ourselves.
On the 7th of April, Ross and I decided to explore a bit of the Grand Staircase Escalante area in particular the Willis Creek Slot Canyon trail. We headed down a dirt road that we were told we would need high clearance and 4 wheel drive. It was a rough road, but even the Subaru could have done it. About 10 miles down the dirt road just when we were thinking we were in the wrong spot, voila there were quite a few cars parked at a pull out. We started the trail and were impressed with the rock formations that the tiny creek meandering through a canyon was following.
We turned a corner and low and behold was a gorgeous slot canyon with high walls, and undulating curves. You could feel how the water in the past flowed through these walls carving the amazing patterns.
The trail continued on and opened up to a wider canyon, and just when we thought that was all to see, we ran into a few other people coming the other way who informed us there were 5 more of these canyons to go through. Each one had a slightly different feel. Some had sheets of of ice that had formed mini bridges, others had small holes in the walls almost like little spiritual niches, and the striations on the rocks were like fantastic modern art.
We were fortunate to start our hike early enough to have these canyons to ourselves. As we turned around to head back there were quite a few larger groups which took away some of the magic. But if you are in this area we definitely recommend doing this trail. The views heading back to camp were beautiful as well.
The afternoon was spent back at camp where I started an abstract painting of the slot canyons. I will finesse it a bit more when I have some time.
After a lovely BBQ dinner we took our nightly walk onto a few trails to enjoy the sun setting again on these rocks for the last night. Tomorrow, we move on towards Capital Reef National Park.
Bryce Canyon
March 30-April 4
We moved on to Bryce Canyon National Park and spent the afternoon driving the scenic drive to stop at various overlooks. I had been to Bryce about 20 years ago and had fond memories of it and have always said that it is one of my favorite National Parks. It did not disappoint! Bryce is fairytale like with its hoodoos that look like minarets. I have always said that it is what God created while on drugs. The rock formations are absolutely magical.
On our first full day at Bryce we woke up to cold temps since we are at 8000 feet, but the day soon warmed up. We decided to hike the main loop which is the Queens trail to the Navajo loop. It was spectacular (but crowded) with the path winding through the hoodoos, down to the valley and then back up.
Magic! 
The trail winding thru Hoodoos 
Switchbacks to get out of the Canyon
Each hoodoo has a different feel and some have personalities. It was fun to name some of them as we passed by….there was the fist for freedom, the eagle, salt and pepper, the camel etc. The hiking path is extremely well made with archways carved out so that you could walk through a few of the hoodoos, and switchbacks to get back up the trail to the top.
3 stooges 
Eagle Rock 
Mother and Son 
The Kiss 
The Molars 
The Tribe
The following day we decided to explore Red Rock Canyon State Park which is about 10 miles away and allows dogs on their trails. We had heard that it was equally beautiful and a lot less crowded. All of that led to a beautiful hike through more amazing hoodoos and red rocks. It was so nice to be able to take Buddy and not be surrounded by the mobs.
After a leisurely afternoon and barbeque back at the airstream (where I finished another commission dog portrait) we walked up to the rim trail for the sunset. The lighting on the rocks was breathtaking and we felt fortunate to experience it and be in walking distance to our campsite.
Our last full day in Bryce was spent doing the long 8 mile hike called Fairyland Loop. We got up early to beat the heat and to watch the sunrise on the hoodoos. It was a magical way to start the day. Both Ross and I were so blown away by the beauty, that we ranked it up there with one of the best hikes in the world. I can’t tell you how many hundreds of photos we stopped to take.
The trail winds steeply down through the hoodoos and then winds along the valley floor through moon like rolling hills, trees that felt like sculptures.
At the bottom of the trail was a rock formation called Tower Bridge that was fantastic.
The last two miles were a climb back out of the valley through arid areas and then ultimately back up through the trees to the rim trail. If you are able to do this trail we would highly recommend it!
Our last morning in Bryce I decided to get up early and head out to the Fairyland trailhead for the sunrise so that I could paint it. It was a bit chilly and windy but so worth being out there. I watched the sunrise on the hoodoos and tried to capture it in the painting below.
This painting was a bit of a challenge because the light was changing rapidly and I really had a hard time getting the hoodoos to capture the light effects. The background mountain I originally painted as too strong so I went back in and softened the edges so that the front hoodoos could be the focal point. I tried to re-work the hoodoos by switching from using my paint brushes to a palette knife so that I could get a more textural affect to the hoodoos. I’m not entirely satisfied with the painting but there is always something to learn. First of all, people always ask me if every painting I do is good. And the answer is NO! I have heard the statistic from a professional artist that she is happy if 1 out of every 6 plein air painting is good. So this painting mostly likely will get covered over with gesso and made into another painting. Reflecting on how I would do it again, I would work a bit on the composition so that there is more movement in the piece. Right now the line of the back cliff top and the line of the hoodoos is too parallel. Additionally, there needs to be more depth in the painting so that the focus is on the hoodoos and the cliff fades more into the background. I also think I would alter the hoodoos to have a bit more variety of shapes and sizes. Perhaps I will take it home and start fresh and paint it in the studio with a bit more time and see what comes of it.
Here is the painting that needs some work.
Next stop is Kodachrome Basin State Park.
Zion National Park
March 26-30
This post is a little delayed because we have been out camping with very limited wifi and cell phone reception. But the second leg of the journey begins with a lot of gratitude. This post follows a difficult week emotionally after having heard about the mass shooting in Boulder. Both Ross and I were devastated to hear about it, and it certainly affected my mood. As we entered Zion National Park I felt so grateful to be alive and well. We are so fortunate to be able to travel they way we are, and to see the sites that we are seeing. My heart broke thinking that some of those who lost their lives will not be able to live this life or see these sights.
We drove into Springdale (the small touristy town) on the edge of Zion in a small rainstorm. The rock formations were partially covered in clouds. It provided a sense of drama.
After setting up the camper and having some lunch, the clouds lifted and the sun came out. Our campsite location is in a fantastic spot 1 mile for the park entry and surrounded by the magical rock formations. The downside is that it is packed with RV’s.
We walked over to the park and hiked the one trail in which they allow dogs, so Buddy got to join us. The walk follows the Virgin River for 1.5 miles up the canyon. The views were spectacular and the color of the river extremely unusual. However we were both a bit discouraged because it is packed here. I looked online and Zion National Park is the 3rd most visited National Park, and you can tell.
The following day we decided to bike up the canyon (they do not allow cars and have shuttle buses that you need to make a reservation). It is the perfect way to see the main valley and we loved the views we had. Part way up the canyon I noticed the my left bike pedal crank had a crack in it and my bike was wobbling as I pedaled. We pulled over at the next pull out which was the Court of the Patriarchs and locked up our bikes and went for a hike. It was one of those blessing in disguise. After being in the crowds, we ended up on a gorgeous trail with almost no one on it. The trail ended up taking us to Zion Lodge where we had a coffee while staring at the view. Fortunately we returned to the bikes and it was almost all downhill so I could pedal with just my right leg and get back to town where I found a bike shop to repair my bike.
During the afternoon we decided to take a drive off the beaten path up the Kolob Terrace Road. We wound our way up to some beautiful views and no crowds. The sun was setting on the rock formations which provided some great lighting and strong shadows. I was hoping to paint, but there wasn’t enough time.
Our words of wisdom for anyone coming to Zion is to bike up the canyon for the scenic views. You can rent bikes and e-bikes in town. The crowds of people here are unreal, and because of that, we weren’t able to get tickets for the shuttles and the lines to get on the shuttles were immense. Now that I had a functioning bike, we rode the 8 mile ride up the canyon. It was a great bicycle ride, not too difficult, and the views were breathtaking. We were able to stop and take advantage of all the viewing spots and really enjoy the scenery. We were very fortunate to have fantastic weather.
The canyon narrows as you get farther into it until the road ends and all that is left is “the narrows” where the river has carved out space between the shear cliffs.
After hiking into the narrows and then biking home we watched the sunset on the mountains outside our door and I painted the scene. It was nice to have a cool beer while painting and show a few of the kids from the next door RV a bit of live painting.
The rock formations in view from the Airstream glowed as the sunset and I tried to achieve that feel in this painting. I wasn’t 100% satisfied with the outcome and lay in bed that night thinking of ways that I could have made it better. So I painted it again the following evening with a few changes. First, I decided that a more horizontal canvas might work better for this scene. I also painted a warm color (burnt sienna) over the canvas and let it dry so that the warmth would come through instead of starting with a white background. Additionally, I mixed the colors in the palette for most of the larger masses prior to starting the painting so that I could evaluate their relationships before going to far in the painting process. Which painting do you prefer?
For the last day our original intention was to hike to Angel’s Landing which is a strenuous hike I had done years ago and is one of the pinnacle hikes for Zion. Unfortunately we were not able to get a ticket for the shuttle so that ended that plan. For plan B we decided to drive over to the Kolob area of the National Park which is about 45 minutes from the main park. This section is known for it’s red canyons but both of us felt that this side trip is probably not worth it unless you happen to passing by this entrance. The overlook at the end of the 5 mile road was beautiful, but after having been in the main park it did not add a lot to the experience.
In the afternoon I decided to ride my bike back up the canyon to the Lodge so that I could hike to the Upper Emerald Pools. It was a glorious warm afternoon for the ride. This hike is a fairly popular hike so that trail was fairly packed but it was interesting to see the pools of water that shed out of the sheer rock formations and then form waterfalls to various levels.
We left Zion early in the morning and drove through the east exit up through the Carmel Valley Tunnel. The tunnel is 1 mile long and was built in 1930 and is one of the darkest tunnels I have driven through with small light openings periodically with fantastic views (but you can’t stop to really enjoy them). The drive up to the tunnel was great as well as exiting out the east side of the park with extremely different topography. The rock formations on this side were smoother, more like the side of seashell.
Next stop is Bryce!
The Streaming Artist 