Impression Evergreen

"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

Mountain Bluebird The annual return of mountain bluebirds to Noble Meadow is a sure sign of spring. This year though, curious newcomers have burst onto the scene. Western bluebirds can now be observed foraging in the splendid field. Hopefully, this stubborn pair of creatures can set aside their age-old differences and find enough space to coexist up here. The longstanding feud between these beautiful birds is based on territory, temperament and fire. After years of intense study, biologists may have discovered a behavioral difference that seems to give the western bluebird an advantage over the mountain bluebird when it comes to this geographical dispute. Western bluebirds are facultative cooperative breeders. Meaning, some adult offspring postpone breeding for a year or two to help their parents raise nestlings. A young, male western bluebird has two life choices. He can stay at home and care for siblings in exchange for a small piece of family property or he can strike out o

The abandoned Caribou townsite The abandoned townsite of Caribou, Colorado is situated high in the Rocky Mountains west of Boulder just below the continental divide. It's the place where the winds are born and if you listen closely you can still hear the echoes of a glittery past. Silver was discovered on the hill in 1868 and a small mining camp was quickly organized. It's less than a ghost town now with just a few dilapidated structures still remaining but it's not the architecture that drew me here. I'm interested in the stories about the extraordinary people who gave Caribou its life. With high-grade silver ore coming out and Eastern investment dollars pouring in, the news spread internationally. A congregation of daring souls from Cornwall, United Kingdom, whose hard rock mining skills were in high demand, risked everything and immigrated to Caribou. The carpenters, merchants and common laborers were American but the heart and soul of the camp were the expert