Impression Evergreen

Picturesque Polar Bear While taking animal pictures down in the city during the early fall, it was a delightful day at the Denver Zoo. In the cool weather and clear light the animals appeared active and contented, inspiring our creativity. Sometimes it’s difficult to look at creatures confined to cages but during our five hour trek in the open air park, we were able to observe some exotic species that we’d never be able to see in the wild. While strolling in such a controlled setting, it was the perfect place to practice shooting with a digital camera. Rather than just click, the challenge was to compose interesting portraits that captured the mood and personality of the engaging subjects. Just like the spotted hyena, many of the creatures were content to bask lazily in the warm sunshine. A Dall sheep ram seemed happy while holding the high ground just above a cud-chewing, reticulated giraffe. A banded mongoose was an innocent observer of the goings on around him while a n

Elk Meadow, Colorado It looks like it’s going to be a brown Christmas because the local weather forecast doesn’t call for any moisture in the near future. Usually by now there’s a bit of snow on the ground but this year the fall has been warm and dry. Every day we awake to clear, sunny skies that delay winter’s arrival, keeping even the smallest ponds from becoming frozen. Most people are enjoying the unusual conditions but the photographer must use curious techniques in order to document the dull scenery. Last week while looping around Elk Meadow, I found myself looking for creative ways to portray the barren landscape. At one of my favorite places overlooking the park, I took to shooting straight into the dazzling sun. Further on, a lone rock is described with strong contrast as it’s settled on a bed of soft grass. Along the dusty trail and down into a damp drainage, a ghostly grove of aspen are an eerie niche in the dark forest. Out on the open ridge, a flood of yellow

Reflections April was even more difficult than I could imagine as it was marked by snow, the A to Z Challenge, limited artwork and a travel adventure in Houston, Texas. I wasn’t able to get much drawing done but my hand is still sore from all of the writing. My theme was travel photography so most of the posts were about places we’ve already been but I had to use GPS to find Xenia’s location. X always seems to present problems as we made a special trip in order to truthfully document the abandoned townsite. Posting every day is difficult enough but keeping up with the commenting is a struggle so that’s something I’m still trying to finish. All in all, it was another great experience because I met lots of creative people and discovered some inspiring blogs. Formatted below is a list of my favorite sites from the last month. If you get the chance, please check them out: Courtney Turner Maui Jungalow Giving real information for people who live on Maui or people who are curi

"Trout Lake" Colored Pencil Recently, I had a conversation with my friend Adam Ziemba from Noble Portrait about art, paintings and drawings. Somehow, Adam was able to weave that information together and he published the results of our discussion in an interview format. It’s always gratifying when someone shows an interest in your creative work so I appreciate Adam’s inquisitive enthusiasm. If you’re interested in learning more about my philosophies of art, photography and nature, please check out Adam’s article. Prepared by Adam Ziemba Dan Miller, a top 100 colored-pencil artist , was kind enough to share his experiences with and passion for fine art on our pages of Noble Portrait . Born to an artistic family in western Nebraska, Dan quickly discovered his lifetime passion for fine arts. Ever since he began with a pencil as a child, he has developed expertise in photography, writing, and oil and acrylic painting . Dan searches and seeks for truth in the world.

"Longs Peak, Colorado" Acrylic My childhood was spent roaming the sandhills of western Nebraska. We rode horses, swam the river and climbed Courthouse Rock. I come from a family of creative artists. Our little house on the prairie overflowed with color and creativity. Mom paints her garden with a floral palette while Dad is a Western artist and retired high school art teacher. There were no formal lessons for my two younger brothers and I, just an endless supply of paper, pencils and encouragement. We worked independently but sometimes we’d tape several sheets of parchment together and make gigantic murals of exotic animals, sports figures or Star Wars battles. Dad never led us down the path. Instead, we each struggled to find our own voice in a forest full of noise. After four years studying fine art in the whispering pines of Charon State, my wife and I grabbed the world by its tail and settled in Denver. Years passed as I worked commercially depicting American s