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 Aspen Grove, 8x10, oil on linen

Moraine Park Magic, 6x12, oil on canvas

Rocky Mtn Dry Dock, 12 x16, oil on linen

Special Edition, 8x10, oil on linen

Door County Plein Air

I had the honor of being invited to participate in this really cool event on the Peninsula of Wisconsin, an area of the country I have never been to. I was there from the 19th-26th of July travelling with my painting and hiking buddy Debbie Kerr. This event is put on annually by the Peninsula School of Art.

As per the usual m.o.during most of these plein air events, we had about 5 days to paint around the peninsula and then display some of the work at a gala opening and silent auction on a Fri. night, and an opening to the general public on Sat. night. After a very intense and fun week of painting and schmoozing, I had 16 paintings, of which only about 6 got to hang in the show. I like to do a lot of work at these events so I feel like I have alot to choose from and can pick the best ones to show. Debbie was such a trooper, keeping my intense schedule, keeping track of things, helping me get where I need to go on time, and keeping me laughing the whole time.

We both absolutely loved the Peninsula, the farms and fields, harbors , inlets, and wetlands. I have never had the opportunity to paint boats, so this was fabulous. The peninsula is surrounded by water, Green Bay to the west, and Lake Michigan to the east, so you can catch a sunrise on Bailey's Harbor and a sunset at Egg Harbor or Ephraim the same day. We found the people of the peninsula friendly, wonderful, beautiful and you could just tell that they loved having the artists there. The folks at the art school (the administrators and volunteers) did a fabulous job of organizing the event and dealing with all the right-brained artists--they were an amazing crew of lovely people. I only hope I'll get invited back next year!!!

I gotta tell ya--I'm diggin this travelling artist life. I will post more about the other travels this summer (Sonoma Plein Air, Canyon de Chelley-AZ, Crested Butte, Telluride Plein Air, NJ, Estes Park Plein Air, Denver's Plein Air, and Colorado Mtn Plein Air--Salida,CO) when I figure out all this blog stuff --like how to post the images of the paintings I did.

Door County Paintings

And more Door County images:

Harbor Reflections, 12x16, Hickies Harbor Fish Market, 12x16, Lakeside Cottage, 9x12, Moonlight Bay,Evening 12x12, The Raven, 9x12(Sold)

Still More Door County paintings

Cherry Pie, 8x10 , Andersons Dock, Sunday, 8x10, Afternoon Graze, 8x10, Nelson's Early Morning, 8x10(sold), Newport Beach State Park, 12x12