Painting Outside the Box: Estes Park

Estes Park Plein Air Aug 15-29,2009

Kawaneeche Colors, 15x30, oil on birch panel

Moraine Meadows, Morning, 16x20, oil on birch panel

I participated in the Estes Park Plein Air from Aug 22-29, camping in the Moraine Park campground again for the convenience of being able to roll out of the sleeping bag and go out to the meadow. Another painter friend, Nicholas Reti (http://www.nicholasreti.com/) met me for a few days of camping and painting. Nicholas is great, always ready to go for it, so we were up before dawn and out in the meadow, already set up and ready to go as the light would begin turn the peaks bright pinks and oranges. Estes is a great event, lots of fun, and I get to see many old friends during the competition. It is always a joy to go paint with friends from around the country who show up for this, and to meet new artists and collectors as well.

Lynda Vogel and Kelley Kotary from the Cultural Arts Council of Estes Park Fine Art Gallery always do a fabulous job with this event--my work hangs in that gallery for the plein air. If you get to Estes Park try to stop in to see the show, it is up until the end of Sept. The other gallery that participates in this event is Earthwood Collections, run by some really cool folks, Anne and Ron.

While I didn't win an award this year as I have for the last 5 years (wow, THERE'S a pity party you should attend), I did have a blast as usual, and did do some interesting experimental type paintings and pushed myself a lot on a couple pieces that went into the show, even if the judges didn't appreciate them, I felt really good about them --these are the 2 at the top of the text.

The One I Should Have Entered

Dawn, Moraine Park, 16x20, oil on hardboard

More from Estes Park Plein Air

I was really fascianted with all the dead pines and conifers in Rocky Mtn National Park, especially on the western side of the park. They are really amazing with all the colors in them, depending on how long they have been dead or dying. They range from greys and browns and light tans (the longest dead) to orange, red, pink, lavendar, ochre, burnt sienna, and alizarin crimson (newer). I hope people will come to see the beauty in these trees and look at it as a part of the whole system nature has devised and the continual cycle of birth and death. This environment will look completely different in just a few years, but will still retain a sense of beauty and wonder. There will be many dead, red trees to paint, and I welcome the opportunity to do that.

Beetle Kill Beauty, 16x12, oil on linen