New Oil Painting - West Fork Reflections

I've really enjoyed my winter break from grad school, especially having time to paint in the studio.  This 16x20 inch oil was painted only with a pallette knife.  When I started painting, I was using a brush but decided the pallette knife would create the kind of effects I wanted.  This is part of West Fork, about 2.5 miles in, where a natural dam of logs created this reflecting pool.  The sun was illuminating the autumn colors on the opposite bank that were reflected in the quiet waters.  There is some movement in the water in the lower right, where a red leaf floats on the surface.  This was a lot of fun to paint!  Now, I must get back to revising my thesis and save up another bucket full of painting ideas for this summer.  Who knows, I might find some free time to whip up another painting while my thesis is being reviewed.

West Fork Oil Painting

This tranquil scene is one of my favorite spots to hike to at West Fork.  I am impressed by the sloping red cliff, the crystal clear waters, and the backlit rock formations and trees.  This oil painting is 16x20 inches, using a combination of brush and palette knife. I strive for a painterly effect with realistic lighting and vibrant colors as I remembered this view.  I did work from a photo but am not a slave to it, also referring to a charcoal value study sketch.  This sounds like an appropriate title: "West Fork Autumn."

Walking in an Autumn Wonderland

Autumn in Arizona is not complete without hiking at West Fork, North of Sedona, a side canyon of Oak Creek.  I talked my wife into waking up at 6am to beat the rush at the parking lot.  A couple years ago, we waited one hour to get a parking spot.  West Fork is popular this time of year and there are many reasons why, but mostly it is a stunning canyon!  We hiked the full three miles before the canyon narrows to the point that we would have to wade in water.  It was too cold for that but I will come back in the summer to do the full 11 miles sometime soon (I hope).  When we arrived, it was cold, about 38 degrees, but the soft light was marvelous.  I can't wait to work on painting these awesome sights I caught on camera.  Sure enough, by the time we left at noon-thirty, a line of cars six deep were waiting to park.  By the way, parking there is now a whoppin' ten bucks, but it is well worth it. 

"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!