Class Notes - In the Aspen Forest

My painting class took a day out on Thursday and painted in the the Conejos at Bear Creek which is about an hour south of Alamosa. The aspen forests there are so deep and the greens on the new leaves so rich, it is almost a sensory over load.
And we painted in shirt sleeves - not to be taken for granted; summer has been very slow in coming to our part of Colorado and the warm day was just too wonderful. I was even willing to share it with the bugs.
Josie Perea is lucky enough to live in these magical woods and hosted our group: Kayleith Pellandini, Carol Watson, Heidi Algrim, Dee Bartee and myself.
Click on the photos to view them larger.

You Just Have to Like GREEN

This was my take on our day in the woods. I admit I can't stay out of the trees. If there are aspens, I have to paint them. For that very reason, the Conejos is a favorite place to paint but at this time of year, when confronted with so much screaming green,
I have a compulsive desire to dodge the bullet and use another color. This time I worked with the green, more than usual - and I am pretty happy with it.
The attraction of this view tho', was that triangular yellow wedge that leads the eye right up to the trees and the band of light that strings along behind the aspens.
In this case it wasn't the subject itself that drew me, but what was around it.