GRAND CANYON at the EDGE

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     The next couple days it rained off and on. I took a hike part way down the Bright Angel Trail, which was a pretty good workout. The rest of the time I hung out with the dogs and we took some short hikes down a dirt road by the campground. It was really wonderful compared to the 100+ temperatures back at our house. Finally the sun came out on the last day. I climbed over a fence at this outlook to paint this scene. I had painted many of the views from the outlooks on past trips and wanted to do something just a bit different. I was lucky enough to sell this one on location.

Bright Angel Trail

Me with Jack and Lexi at campsite.

     When we arrived at this campsite there were three male elk with huge racks laying in the forest about 50 feet away.

Contemplating the finish.

     I didn't get a lot of production done on this trip, but had a wonderful time and was very spiritually up lifting!
     Oh by the way, I had time to check out the paintings for the DPW Challenge I issued and I'm very impressed with the paintings and proud of everyone for getting outside!

CANYON ROCK OUTCROPPING

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     I made it out of the heat and up to the Grand Canyon. When I arrived I found that my favorite campground "Mather" was full and was told I would have to drive outside of the Grand Canyon Park to search for another. I decided to wait awhile there in the parking lot and luckily someone cancelled so I got a camp site that night and every night for 5 days. Only thing was I had to change sites every day. So if you decide to go there in the summer, try to make reservations before. Mather campground is the most convenient.
     The second day I hung out around the Bright Angel Lodge. There is a few museums, the Tovar Lodge, and many other attractions besides the great view. It was a little warm with the sun, so I found a shady spot along the rim and spotted this great "Rock Design".

ORANGE SLICES




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       My last painting of the oranges reminded me of this one I did in a little different style.
     I'M GONE ON ANOTHER PAINTING TRIP, BE BACK THE END OF JULY.

FRESH PICKED ORANGES



      I just wanted to take the opportunity to say thanks for the comments on my blog. I don't get a chance to answer all of them, but I look forward to reading them and appreciate all the things you have to say.

THE DARK ALLEY

     This is the kind of alley that draws me into it, but somehow says "Danger" is lurking.

PURPLE PRICKLY

     I have a few of these Prickly Pear cactus growing in my front yard. This particular species turns purple at certain times. I caught it about a half hour before the sun went down.

MY BACKYARD

     Well I went from 10,000 feet and 70 degree days to 118 back here in Arizona. I'm still in the "plein air" mood so I set up in the shade as the sun was going down in my backyard. I live on a cliff overlooking a river valley with mountains (called "hills" in Colorado and other places where they have real mountains) on the other side. My dogs and I hike down there everyday. There is also a horse ranch on the other side.

SUNSET TROUT LAKE

     Well I finally made it over to Trout Lake which is one of the most beautiful places I have found in my travels. The colors are quite different when the sun starts going down.

ASPEN SHADE

     This is another morning relaxing underneath the Aspens. There was a slight breeze playing soft tunes with the Aspen leaves as I sat and contemplated the universe while painting this little slice of a heavenly piece of earth.

TROUT LAKE MEADOW

     One morning while hiking with the dogs down Lizard Head Trail, I noticed this large sunlight meadow. Jack took off running through the soft green grass, so as I followed him I noticed the mountain in the distance. The next morning, I threw on my backpack and we went back to this meadow to paint. It was an enchanting morning sitting there painting this glorious view of the mountains in the distance around Trout Lake.

BACKLIT PINES

     This was another little one looking across the dandelion meadow at the distant mountains. I was still doing some recovery from the altitude illness, so was not hiking as much as usual. I'm glad in a way, it was forcing me to find great things to design and paint right there in my intimate camp backyard. I would do a few small paintings and then rest or take a short nap and then get up and do another.

NATURE'S ARRANGMENT

     Early in my painting career I made a decision that i didn't ever want to get stuck painting the same thing over and over, like an assembly line. Years later I began my plein air work with mostly a foreground, middle ground, and something in the distance (preferably purple mountains). They sold very well. After awhile I felt like I was going "to work" every time I would go out to paint. I suddenly realized that I had fallen into the trap. I made a choice that day to switch my operating basis and just find something that moved me and had nothing to do with sales or who might like it. I painted a big black airplane that day. It felt wonderful, I really felt the joy of painting again. It is tough for artist trying to make a living and at the same time keep their work fresh and innovative.
     I would have never imagined that I would be sitting outdoors in the land of Colorado mountains lookin down at the ground two foot in front of me, painting a few little dandelions. It was a challenge to paint something new and not "set up" in a studio with controlled lighting, etc.; But it was exciting and I loved it.

DANDELION MEADOW

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  This was an exercise in simplification. A zillion Dandelions out there in this sunny meadow, but if I paint each one...well you get the idea. Sort of like painting the ocean waves, just pick out what looks like a good area and make it the focus..then make everything else support that area.