The Last of Fall or Coni goes into the woods again

Fall is high season for painters especially here in Colorado where the mountains turn to gold. On the left is 16"x12", "Walk in the Woods", a quick capture of trees that have lost almost all their leaves.
The Aspens are always beautiful but many of our paint outs turned rainy; as in this 12"x16" view (on the right) of Rock Creek on a rather dreary day. I ended up painting the forest instead of the trees.
Both of these works can be viewed at the Link Gallery in Estes Park

Capture that Last Moment

"Alamosa River Canyon", 12"x16".
Late in the season, myself and Sue McCullough (another Valley painter) took a spur-of-the-moment drive up to Alamosa River Canyon and painted along a stretch of dirt road that ran along the river. That road sure gets a lot of traffic- but we painted for about 2 hours as the sun dropped below the canyon wall to the west. I didn't have any thoughts about the piece at the time but later it would go over to the SLV Brewery Show to replace a piece that sold.
The following week Sue would head up to Denver to paint in the "Golden Triangle" and show at the High Plein Air Art Exhibit- and as much as I wanted to, I could not make that trip. Fall is the best time to paint but there is never enough time to go everywhere and paint all the beautiful color; 2 hours painting could be spent shooting hundreds of photos for reference. Such is the plein air dilemma.
'Alamosa River Canyon', 12"x16" oil on board $410.

Holidays Hit the Daily Painter Broadside

And that's no joke!
Everyone wants donated work. And some actually get it. Well, I turned down the chance to paint a FULL sized fiberglass grizzly bear for the Bear Project fund raiser for Valleywide. And not without some second thoughts but the time frame was too tight, the bear TOO big, and my life TOO short. If you haven't had a chance to view the finished pieces around town, there are, I think, 10 representing many valley artists. Each one is amazing!
KRZA Art Auction This to support our local public radio station- which, by the way, I only can get in my car-
where is KBEAR when you need it?
Anyway, all the artist were given a 6"x6" canvas to do whatever.
Thanks to Marian Schlagbaum for all you did. Directly above is "Autumn View", done on a newsprint ground. I am happy to say it was purchased by Randy Pijoan. I only wish I could afford to have purchased his piece. Thanks Randy.
'Autumn View'- oil on canvas. SOLD

A Day at Ghost Ranch

I drove down to Ghost Ranch in October to meet up with Ann Templeton, as well as the High Desert Painters (an international plein air group that I helped found). One day at Ghost Ranch is hardly enough but it was one good day and I did 2 paintings. This one is of Jana Van Wyk painting in the baking sun. Jana is from North Carolina and another of the High Desert Painter Group.
When I got home this painting went (wet) directly over to the San Luis Valley Brewery show in Alamosa- to replace a painting that sold. That's always good.
'Painting at Ghost Ranch' 12'x16', oil on board -$500.