On the last post I ahowed a picture of Bristol Head Mountain from the west looking at the mountain. Well, we drove to the Soward Ranch and this is the view looking at the mountain from the east. It was really obscurred by fog and honestly, very dramatic. Here is a better picture of the mountain-----
I decided to give it a shot for my first painting for the paint out-- the weather had been rather rainy but was clearing fast so I really thought I could pull this off-- I never seem to get to paint mountains as much as I'd like so decided to do it when halfway through the painting the wind started to blow-- HORRIBLY-- I was standing by David Montgomery and he wisely moved close to some shelter. I couldn't because I was painting with a pond in the front of me and had decided to put it in the painting- so I was stuck. My umbrella flew off- and I retrieved it and just kept painting.. It's funny- when painting outside I have developed some type of concentration that earlier in my painting years, would not have been able to keep. Also I am fortunate to have a Soltek easel that is like a rock in the wind..
I was finally able to finish..
As you can see- I pushed the drama of this mountain and I am now working on a larger version of this painting. .. I noticed that my painting is much lighter than the picture of Bristol and I really was able to see much more into the shadows than the picture shows- that's why I hate to paint from pictures.. Afterwards I tried to hang out by this cool building..
And get a little out of the wind before I started my next painting.
I am talking about my painting before the quick draw-- I had done a little study of Aspen up North Clear Creek Falls and did a rendition of that painting- this piece was a little larger- 9x12 while the original plein air was 8x10.
The lucky winner of the quick draw auction -- Joe and Audrey Poxson - thank you Joe and Audrey!! All proceeds of the auction were donated to the Creede chamber for upcoming art events. I think the hand holding the painting belongs to David Montgomery- thanks David!
Today will be filled with graduation parties good times with a lot of wonderful graduates and their parents. This year I had a reprieve from giving a graduation party but will be ready to do my last for 2011- Jason will be graduating next year and that will be it for high school activities. After 4 children- I think I will be ready - but our small community of Sargent is based around the schools- out in the middle of grain and potato fields- and I think I will miss it and all of the activities and the kids, yes especially the kids....
After participating in the Headwaters Trust plein air event, I headed to Santa Maria, a private trout club at the base of Bristol Mountain. Jim and my son Jason had already headed up earlier and so took off at about 3:00 and watched the sky stay completely brown with dust all the way there. It was rather depressing- like a huge fire was burning close by. I got settled in to the fishing trailer and the guys were nowhere to be seen- I thought "could they be fishing in this horrible wind?" Yes they were..
6x8
Well, I'm back from the Taste of Creede and I can honestly say that I had fun. I met up with Coni and we just kind of took in the atmosphere at first and hid out from the rain in the OMI for awhile. It was rather rainy the whole weekend but not too cold and the quick draw was quite an event. We had an hour to do a painting and then put it up for auction to benefit Creede Arts. I was stressed as for plein air one is usually allowed 2 hours for the painting time. I was even more confused when every artist pulled out these huge canvases. I was only painting an 8x10 for goodness sakes! Well they pulled it off quite well and I survived. Above is a picture of Stephen Quiller and Charlie Ewing talking about Charlie's painting (you can see it in the background.) The painting I did was the small red truck below- it resides on the north end of Creede- starting up the canyon. 
