Impression Evergreen

"Escalante Valley - Colored Pencil Drawing" The Escalante Valley in Utah is a lonely arroyo hewn by a serpentine river that in the late fall can be easily forded in order to gain access to a labyrinth of arches, grottos and hidden glades. Unfamiliar with such a preternatural territory, it is a strange and mystical wilderness. Rising from a field of fiery grasses, the ancient rock formations tower above the desert floor, carving out a rugged skyline. The primordial beauty is enhanced by an explosion of autumn hues that can only be expressed with color from across the entire palette. The reddish buttes are sculpted from a progression of steep tiers and scarred by vertical striations. While defining the extraordinary shapes, the distinct shadows stay warm except for the deepest that trend towards purple. The desert ramparts are an exceptionally rugged borderland concealing the remote river chasm. Running along the base of the sheer walls, raw galleries preserve magnificent petro...

Poudre Canyon Gashed into the northern Front Range Foothills, Poudre Canyon is a steep drainage that’s as picturesque as it is rugged. A braid of blue water snakes through the tortuous chasm while flowing down to the lowlands. At its most shallow in the autumn, the Poudre River reveals the multitude of rocks and debris normally submerged below the surface. The lazy current and quiet solitude evoke a peaceful atmosphere of extreme tranquility. Sinewy cottonwoods fringe the banks and the golden foliage, flickering in the morning sunlight, is even more brilliant when set against the cobalt sky. The trees cast transparent shadows that sneak passively across the coarse terrain. The gorge is boxed in by steep walls that have been eroded into a spectacular arrangement of jagged peaks, pinnacles and spires. Peering up from within the ravine, the ridge line is described by an impressive, sawtooth profile. A lonely road contours the winding refuge as it gradually ascends the narrow pass ...

"Canyon of Fire" Colored Pencil It’s summer on the desert plateau and an acid-green river slices through a blazing gorge. The ecosystem is an unbearable furnace where frustrated flora somehow survives the fierce environment. A sweeping arrangement of enigmatic shapes is smudged into the picture’s foreground. The intentional smear inspires experimental effects that become contagious to the rest of the composition. A garish-yellow sky radiates sour light that flashes through the infernal chasm. The sulfur peaks in the distance are softened by a subtle wash of smoky-violet haze. Engraved into sandstone, the Canyon of Fire can only be conjured by a violent color fusion of ochre, mineral and tuscan. The Devil’s Abode dares the visitor to venture ever deeper into dangerous territory. This rugged Ravine of No Return is riddled with a hostile array of yucca, cholla and prickly pear. Trapped in a boiling abyss of vertical walls, a steep slide of saffron offers a glimmer of hope...

Arkansas River Canyon Conceived in some of Colorado’s highest country, the Arkansas River rushes down through its namesake valley. Upon leaving the state, it continues an incredible journey across the southern plains until its confluence with the Mississippi River. Near Cañon City, at one of its most volatile sections, the Arkansas’ whitewater rapids are threaded through a chasm of devastating beauty. The timeless crevice is sliced out of red earth and its jagged, rock walls are defined by eternal shadows of violet-blue. While wandering up to the rim of this royal gorge, a satanic sun scorches the savage landscape. The devil’s domain is a vicious mixture of greasewood, cactus, yucca and sagebrush brewed in a cauldron of fire. Upon reaching the cliff edge, the true elevation becomes an awesome reality whose dizzying concept is difficult to comprehend. The tiny ribbon of blue, winding its way through a graveyard of broken spires and collapsed structures, seems so far away. Descend...

Beaver Brook Canyon Beaver Brook is a lovely, little stream flowing through a deep gorge gouged out of the forested foothills. A trail to the water follows a series of dark and steamy switchbacks descending the north wall. On the way down, pockets of lush wildflowers grow discretely in the dark shadows. At the bottom, where the sun doesn’t shine, a broken trail criss-crosses the cold brook by way of several wooden bridges. Flickering through the dense foliage, the fleeting light is fractured by summer leaves and brush. Like a beast’s lair, the confusion caused by several caves, caverns and rockfalls forms an imposing impediment. Somehow, the stubborn creek continues to carve its way through the ancient chasm of chaos. Nothing stops its relentless course as a number of nice waterfalls slices through the entanglement of natural debris. Ascending out of the deep rock well is a chore but slow and steady is the best way to climb the steep stairway back to the rim. It’s not long...

Lower Bells Canyon Waterfall Blessed with untamed rivers, deep canyons and green mountains, the state of Utah is celebrated for its diverse scenery. Established on a painted desert, the topography transitions dramatically up to the lofty Wasatch Mountain Range. The winding waterways rush towards the southwest while carving surreal chasms out of an uplifted plateau. Heavily eroded by wind and water, the unique landscape is littered with an interesting array of arches, pinnacles and hoodoos. I enjoy wandering around our local foothills and I could spend a lifetime exploring the vast Rocky Mountains. I must admit, though, that the territory to our west has definitely cast a spell. Our home is Colorado but my second favorite state is magical Utah. San Rafael Swell Wasatch Mountains San Rafael Desert An untamed creek

Colorado National Monument Out in western Colorado, the steep, northern wall of the Uncompahgre Plateau falls away into the Grand Valley of the Colorado River. Erosion has shredded this leading edge of orange sandstone, designing a labyrinth of extraordinary canyons. Wind, water, ice and an infinite amount of time have combined forces to create a natural sculpture garden in the high desert. From the lofty Grand View Overlook, the floor below is decorated with rock chimneys, arches, spires, towers and coke ovens. Granted special status in 1911, Colorado National Monument preserves a unique piece of the American West and protects a surprising variety of wildlife. Desert bighorns, bobcats, coyotes, mountain lions, lizards, rattlesnakes and rock wrens are a few of the species who call this place home. During an evening hike on the heels of a passing Spring storm, beams of soft light come streaming through the steel-gray clouds. While following a broken trail that skirts the chas...