When life gives you lemons, draw them, 11 x 14 inches dry pastels, graphite on paper

"When life gives you lemons, draw them." (Nikki)

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language." (Paul Gauguin)

landscapes

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Wildorado Wind Ranch

Monday, January 25th, 2021


 

Wildorado Wind Ranch, TX - 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Wildorado Wind Ranch, Texas – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Petrified Forest

Sunday, January 24th, 2021


 

Crystal Forest Trail, AZ - 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Crystal Forest Trail, Petrified Forest National Park, AZ – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper.

Silent reverence for geologic history, Petrified Forest National Park, Crystal Forest Trail AZ USA. Not a whole lot more to draw here! The land is barren except for desert grass and the odd tumbleweed. This was once a lush forest, and dinosaurs roamed here. It was February, but I bet this place looks the same in July. The silence was layered with dry grasses in the breeze, ravens’ calls, and my imagination.

Tumbleweed, Petrified Forest National Park, AZI had never seen a tumbleweed up close before, so since I hadn’t seen any traffic or other people for about an hour, I hopped out of the car to take photos of one in the middle of the road before it blew away. Satisfied with the takes, I got up off the road and a bus was right there 25 ft. away, waiting for me to finish. I don’t know how long the bus was there, but was thankful the driver didn’t honk… and more thankful that he saw me.

Red Rock State Park, Denver CO

Friday, January 22nd, 2021


 

Red Rock State Park, Denver CO - 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Red Rock State Park, Denver CO – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper.

Kananaskis Valley, AB Canada

Sunday, January 10th, 2021


 

Kananaskis Valley, Alberta Canada - 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Kananaskis Valley near Banff, Alberta Canada – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper. Framed size 27H x 33W inches, white wood frame, crackle finish.

Prairie Dogs, Drumheller, AB

Wednesday, January 6th, 2021


 

Prairie Dogs, Drumheller, AB - 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Prairie Dogs, also called gophers, the Badlands Hoodoos near Drumheller, Alberta Canada. 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper. Framed size 27H x 33W inches.

The geography in this area of Alberta is incredible, and the gophers are so very much a part of prairie ecology. They are cute to be sure, but they dig their homes in fields and are a nuisance to farmers whose horses and cattle can trip and break their ankles and legs.

You know Spring has finally arrived when the roads and highways are littered with gopher roadkill. In Torrington, Alberta, one lady has found a creative way to manage that. You must visit The World-Famous Gopher Hole Museum located in the middle of nowhere, in a small prairie hamlet where there is not even a gas station, barely noticeable along a seemingly endless dusty gravel road. Gophers are stuffed, sporting handmade costumes and placed in small cubicles displaying historic scenes. Completely bizarre, but actually very well done and absolutely worth the trip.

Ouimet Canyon, ON Canada

Saturday, January 2nd, 2021


 

Ouimet Canyon, ON - 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Ouimet Canyon Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

According to written information about this amazing place, the 100 metre deep (330 ft), 150 M (490 ft) wide gorge formed a billion years ago, when earth split due to advancing glaciers, then most likely the tremendous amounts of water released during their retreat, and erosion of the slabs by wind and rain.

It was a rainy day, so the park was tourist-free, and I was able to experience the park alone. In a meditative state of mind, foggy atmosphere enhanced the sense of mystery. I imagined the violent forces that created this wonder, and within the scale of a few small moments, tried to comprehend how much time a billion years is.

Campfire Smoke

Sunday, December 20th, 2020


 

Campfire Smoke, Yosemite National Park CA, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Campfire Smoke, Yosemite National Park CA, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper.

Framed size 27H x 33W inches, white wood frame, crackle finish.

Wyoming Rockscape

Wednesday, December 16th, 2020


 

Wyoming Rockscape, Bighorn National Forest, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Wyoming Rockscape, Bighorn National Forest, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on watercolor paper

Shepperd’s Dell Falls

Tuesday, December 8th, 2020


 

Shepperd's Dell Falls OR,24H x 18W inches soft pastels on paper

Shepperd’s Dell Falls, East Historic Columbia River, Corbett, Oregon – 24H x 18W inches soft pastels on paper. Interesting that a change as trivial as flipping the format to portrait threw me off my game for a bit, and it took a while to adapt.

Landscapes of the Mind

Sunday, December 6th, 2020


 
The Campsite and Winter Forest Dogwood exhibiting in Landscapes of the Mind, Santa Clarita CA

Two pieces will be showing at the Landscapes of the Mind exhibition at the First Floor Gallery, Santa Clarita city hall December 2020 through March 19, 2021. Here is the link to the virtual exhibition (work shown is not to scale). My two pieces, The Campsite and Winter Forest: Dogwood, both watercolors, are located just to the right as you enter, behind the central walls.

 

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