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Friday, January 22nd, 2021
Red Rock State Park, Denver CO – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper.
Prairie Dogs, Drumheller, AB
Wednesday, January 6th, 2021
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 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.
Shepperd’s Dell Falls
Tuesday, December 8th, 2020
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.
Summer Leaves
Friday, November 27th, 2020
Summer Leaves, Trask River, Oregon – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Matthiessen State Park, IL
Saturday, November 21st, 2020
Matthiessen State Park, Illinois US – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper. Framed size 27H x 33W inches, white wood frame, crackle finish.
This park located near Oglesby epitomizes the word “anomaly”. The surrounding landscape is flat for miles and miles, with a lot of farm fields and no hint at all that such pockets of vastly different ecosystems occur side by side, merging so abruptly. In fact, we know a guy who grew up an hour from there and he didn’t even know it existed! There are a few other hiking trails and hidden canyons with waterfalls in the area too.
Cumulonimbus: Montana Sunset
Friday, October 23rd, 2020
Cumulonimbus: Montana Sunset, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper. For many years I’ve wanted to try painting night skies. In July 2007, I was driving through Montana to Alberta as the setting sun bounced golden-pink hues through the already fantastic storm clouds. I pulled over and took some photos, thinking that even if they didn’t turn out, something is better than nothing. Reference photos don’t have to be perfect to bring back the awe of a particular moment; they are just a starting point. I intend to paint this with acrylics when I’m through with my soft pastel kick.
Sunflowers
Monday, October 19th, 2020
Sunflowers and an abandoned homestead in Nebraska, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb cold pressed watercolor paper.
Summer Forest
Thursday, October 15th, 2020
Summer Forest, Tualatin Hills Nature Park, Beaverton OR – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper. Phases of work are in thumbnails below. It might have been ok if left alone after phase 02, but it seemed too ordinary, so I pushed it beyond.
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| phase 01 | phase 02 | phase03 |
Overgrown
Monday, October 5th, 2020
Overgrown in Denton, TX, this old building is now torn down – 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on 90 lb watercolor paper.
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