"Autumn's Glory"

"Autumn's Glory" 24x30 acrylic


This is based from a photograph taken near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. It was October, fall colors were at their peak. During the late afternoon and as the sun lowered, it filtered through the trees, creating dramatic shadows and highlighting the grass. A deer is staring back at the viewer, ready to leap into hiding. This deer was not in this exact scene but was encountered in this same area, startled by us hikers. I have began using Golden Open acrylics, they give more working time than most acrylics but dry quicker than oils. I enjoyed getting back into using acrylics re-discovering the effects of using washes and layering color.

"Aspen Spires"

"Aspen Spires" 20x16 oil

I feel the Aspens are most glorious during the Autumn months, especially near and on the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, AZ. Looking up to the peaks from Hart Prairie, two Aspen trees tower above everything else. I enjoyed creating vibrancy with complimentary colors in this piece: yellow and purple. I look forward every year to visiting the Aspens in October!

"Journey to West Fork"

18x24 oil

This painting was inspired from West Fork, one of my favorite places to hike. This particular location was unique to me for the calm waters on the right and the dramatic waterfall on the left. Also, the contrast of the red cliff versus the dark shadows of the trees helped create this dynamic scene. I am using a new technique for creating blacks without actually using black paint and I have found I am able to tie in my color pallette in these blacks easily and successfully. It is exciting!

"Juniper"

16x20 oil painting

This is the same juniper tree I recently created a pencil drawing of, but a different view. The roots intriqued me and seemed to be very imaginative. In this painting, I really applied the paint heavily to make the tree appear how it does in real life with it's alligator bark. It was a joy to create this painting because of the movement and strong tree trunk gave me a sense of majesty. Enjoy!

"West Fork Reflections"

"West Fork Reflections" 11x14 oil

This painting is a view from West Fork canyon wilderness. The red rocks tower above and lush vegetation grows along the creek. It's a place of solitude and wonder. This particular painting show a brightly lit background with softer hues in the shadows and reflections in the creek. I decided to leave some colors bright for more impact, and to try a new approach to color. West Fork is one of my favorite places to photograph and hike!

"Juniper"

"Juniper"

20x16 graphite & colored pencil

This juniper tree is located south of Prescott next to Wolf Creek. This tree is like a sentinel overlooking a rock precipice into the Forest below. I particularly like the way the roots have been exposed from flooding waters and yet the tree still survives and clings to the rocks. I created this scene using a photograph as reference. I am using colored pencils and a 3B-graphite pencil. I've tried it before, but not at this scale. Many hours were invested in this piece!

"Beaver Creek"

"Beaver Creek"

20x16 oil

Beaver Creek is located near Sedona and provides great hiking. This creek is like an oasis in the desert, where plant life abounds next to its clear running waters. I enjoy the looseness of this painting creating an impressionistic and mystical landscape.