Gettin' Out

We have enjoyed beautiful, if chilly, days here in Southern Colorado and after spending several days preparing for my show at the Rio Grande Museum I was very anxious to get OUT. Even when it is desperately cold, no amount of sitting by the fire, sorting through photos or reworking small studies can satisfy the need to go out and paint in the landscape. I may not speak for all landscape artists but for plein air types - going out - is WHAT it's all about.
Yesterday, Sue McCullough and I went out to her family ranch - acres and acres of trees and snow, the river and great views of the Sangre de Christo Mountains stretching south from Taos up north to Buena Vista where they meet the Collegiate Peaks; so beautiful and white, and big. Fortunately, we had sun and it was around 20 degrees -perfect!
At the top is a shot Sue with the gear and below that, my sketch, painted on in black acrylic. I learned a lesson after my last time out when I tried to thin the paint with water; Dumb, I know. This time, no thinning the acrylic- just go for the gusto.
Check out Sue's painting with this link to her blog
and see my piece below.

Snowy Blanca

In the morning there is, very often a low lying haze that settles on the Valley floor and the mountains seem to rise out of that. Cottonwoods catch the early light on the ends of their branches and the river is just an expanse of snow. A Bald Eagle flew over us and settled in a nearby tree. For this California native and city-girl, it was something.
Chances are, you will never see that while painting in the studio.