June Reflections

Oil on linen panel, 12"x16"

This scene is from my June 2011 trip to Colorado.

Mt. Sopris

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

This view of Mt. Sopris is from the Skyline Ranch in Carbondale, Colorado. I painted plein air there in June during a workshop with George Strickland.

"Swift Water"

Oil on panel, 6"x8"

This scene is from a photo I took while in Colorado this summer. I was there taking an outdoor workshop with George Strickland. After the workshop was complete I had a full day to drive around and paint on my own. I believe this scene to be near Basalt or Aspen on the way to the Maroon Bells. I have photographed this piece several times and just haven't been able to get a good picture of it. There is a constant glare on the dark pine trees and the trees on the far right side are almost blown out in the photo. The actual painting looks much nicer than my posted image.

"Aspens"

Oil on gessobord panel, 6"x6"

This is from a photo taken on my June trip to Colorado.

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"On the River"

Oil on linen canvas, 24"x30"

This is the larger version of this scene I recently painted. I have a very difficult time getting a usable photo of anything over 12"x16". The color is dingy and washed out. I had to shoot it outside which created a blue cast over the entire photo, which I attempted to correct. My camera just isn't good enough and eventually I will have to invest in a much better one.

"On the River" Study

Oil on panel, 9"x12"

This scene is near Basalt, Colorado. I painted this as a study for a larger version of the same scene. I am hoping I can bring a little more life into it on a larger scale.

"Aspens and Split Rail"

Oil on panel, 8"x10"
This ranch is near Aspen on the way to the Maroon Bells.

"Grazing Horse"

Oil on panel, 8"x8"

I have not done any of these small 8"x8" paintings lately so I thought I would change things up and do a couple. This horse was grazing on the Skyline Ranch in Carbondale, Colorado. I took considerable liberty with the background.

"Redstone"

Oil on panel, 12"x16"

Redstone is a small town near Carbondale, Colorado. The scene is from a park that sits right on the river.

"Mountain Pond"

Oil on panel, 8"x10"

This pond near Aspen was catching nice light and reflections on the surface.

"Skyline Ranch Horses" en plein air

OIl on panel, 11"x14"
From my workshop in Carbondale, Colorado I did the plein air work on this piece in just over an hour. We had little time left to paint when I started this piece but I really wanted to get this one going. I painted very fast and blocked the entire painting in but my horses looked a bit like stick figures. I toned down the background and increased the foreground shadow per the suggestion of our instructor George Strickland. I think the painting came off pretty good considering how fast it was painted.

"Redstone" en plein air

oil on panel, 12"x9"
This painting was started en plein air and completed in the studio. I got the entire painting blocked in and almost completed on location. I did adjust a few things after bringing it home.

"Trees and Mt. Sopris" 20 minute plein air

oil on panel, 6"x8"

This is another of those 20 minute plein air paintings from the George Strickland workshop in Carbondale, Colorado. It is very difficult to paint anything remotely recognizable in 2o minutes. These exercises force you to see the big picture very quickly and to lay color down and leave it alone.

"Maroon Bells - Plein Air"

Oil on Panel, 11"x14"
Friday 6/10 was my last day in Colorado. I painted this scene of the Maroon Bells outside of Aspen en Plein Air. The photos show the painting in progress and my view of one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

"Mt. Sopris - Plein Air"

Oil on panel, 11"x14"
I think we took a couple hours when I painted this scene en plein air of Mt. Sopris from the Skyline Ranch in Carbondale, Colorado.

"Carbondale Horse - Plein Air"

Oil on panel, 6"x8"
Just back from a plein air workshop with George Strickland in Carbondale, Colorado. We did several 20 minute paintings and some 1 hour paintings. This was a 20 minute sketch of a horse on the Skyline Ranch. I will share a few more of the small ones in the next few days.