Impression Evergreen

"Desert Gateway" Colored Pencil Offering sanctuary from the furnace of sweltering heat, a chain of blue mountains streaks across the background of a fiery landscape. The desolate environment is stark, harsh and lonely. Despite its beauty, the desert is a brutal place that can bring your demise at any moment. Not only is the severe climate and rugged terrain a problem but a sudden snake bite can be deadly. The wide open space is broken by terraces of escarpment that appear more red as they recede. Applied with precision, smooth gradations mask the rugged nature of this rocky netherworld. The bleached shelf in the foreground is bathed in a bright yellow made even more vibrant by the violet shadows. Yet, the most shocking aspect is the shimmering sulphur sky that results from a mid-summer sun. This non-naturalistic expression is not designed to display superficial accuracy. The arid plateau is too straightforward to tether with complicated details so a more symbolic appr...

"As Above, So Below" Colored Pencil During winter’s dusk, an infinite field of celestial blue domes the serene landscape. A silky cloud sweeps over the snow-covered summit, conjuring an atmosphere of timeless peace. As above, so below, where the sky’s serenity is reflected by the vast expanse of violet pastureland. A few horses graze on the short-grass stubble, evoking a feeling of pure contentment. Looming over the transcendent valley, jagged peaks engrave a rugged profile out of the gloaming sky. Some last beams of fading light streak across the southern slopes, blending the realm of heaven with earth. Soon, the constellations will fill the sky with a web of sparkling stars that blaze through the long night. Quilted into the high plain, endless patches of crusted snow melt into the mountain scenery. The mountains at dusk are a foreboding barrier so sacrificing detail for clarity creates a more ethereal effect. The softer edges ease the tension and enhance the alread...

"Spirit of Winter" Colored Pencil This time of year, a never ending cycle of storms sweeps down from the mountains burying the foothills in a frozen tomb. The ice cold essence seeps into your aching bones and the chill doesn’t thaw until late spring. Despite the season’s harshness, the artist is lured into an attempt to capture the mysterious poetry evoked by such an austere landscape. In defiance of the somber setting, a palette of unexpected hues is required to accomplish the task. Interred in eternal snow, a woodland valley is hauntingly diffused with the spirit of winter. Jutting out of the ground, dark menhirs are scattered across the meadow, making the composition’s structure seem monumental. The deserted cabin is evidence of a recurring saga about the struggle between this area’s inhabitants and the environment. A phantom peak, pyramidal in shape, complements the strict geometry of the shelter. The faltering shack is gradually being reclaimed by the land so its...

Founders Trail Stretching through the middle of Elk Meadow, a rugged pathway ascends gradually to the base of Bergen Peak. I don’t know for certain who founded the Founders Trail but I do know it’s a place where authentic beauty can be found. A dispersion of isolated pine trees acts as a gateway to a golden grassland tussled by autumn’s persistent breeze. The stoic guardians are important compositional elements adorning the foreground of fleeting snapshots. The easygoing excursion leads you through a mountain landscape steeped with ever-changing scenery. The tranquil passage exists as an understated niche, branching away quietly from the mainstream. Isolated pine trees A golden grassland A gateway A rugged pathway An understated niche Ever-changing scenery Bergen Peak Authentic beauty Branching away quietly

Mount Vernon townsite Just south of where Interstate 70 curves west and begins its climb up into the Rockies, Matthews/Winters Park preserves a splendid plateau and a fascinating past. It’s a unique location because it’s the exact point where the high plains meets the mountains. The place was first settled in 1859 by an entrepreneurial clergyman named Joseph Casto who hoped to make a profit from the burgeoning gold rush. Second to arrive was a lawyer from Nebraska named Robert Williamson Steele who called the area Mount Vernon after George Washington’s estate in Virginia. Casto platted the hillside and encouraged development of the small village that became known as Mount Vernon Towne. Casto also started the Denver, Auraria, and Colorado Wagon Road Company, which built a toll road from Denver through Mount Vernon and up the canyon to the gold fields at what is now Central City and Blackhawk. Almost overnight Mount Vernon was transformed into a thriving transportation hub as ...

"Goliath Peak" Colored Pencil Indiscriminate with its wrath, Goliath Peak is a ferocious summit controlling entry into the Mount Evans Massive. Expressed in the composition above, a casual climb is transfigured into a crippling circumstance of chaos and confusion. And so it begins just below tree line where sinister, black pine are guardians of the gateway to Gehenna. Jumbled across the foreground, patches of muted color are arranged in strange, interlocking shapes. At the far end of the earth, blue mountains are an impenetrable barrier compressing the space into a suffocating picture plane. Silvery green in the summer, the hulking behemoth looms above but it’s not quite as close as it appears. Gnarled, gray snags are twisted in front of the darkest darks as their pale presence is a painful reminder of our certain mortality. Hopefully, the most recent storm has passed as promised by broken clouds that disperse across the steel-blue sky. Reaching the top is a back...

"Dugout Creek" Colored Pencil Carved deep into a secluded cattle pasture, Dugout Creek rushes down out of the rugged Sandhills. The shallow stream is cold and blue as it meanders through the vast prairie. A pair of framework trees creates an informal gateway into a golden grassland. Here and there, drifts of deep snow are defined by soft passages of cerulean blue. A furious wind blows with blatant disregard while the white sky foretells that more winter weather is on the way. With all of the elements arrived in full force, it's just another winter day in western Nebraska.

Crown Hill Park Crown Hill Park is an expansive hilltop risen above a sea of amber waves of grain. The far off Flatirons form an impressive backdrop, giving an imaginative wanderer the feeling he’s walking in the wilderness. The centerpiece of this wide, wheat ridge is a placid lake that’s cobalt blue and smooth as a mirror. Almost perfectly oval in shape, the reservoir and its adjacent wetlands are a birder’s paradise. During an Indian Summer, the sun-drenched forest exterior is a glorious yellow and full of life. Buzzing about the gnarled cottonwoods, energetic kingfishers happily call this place home. Nearby, Kestrel Pond is mostly a soggy bottom filled with cattail willows. The ground floor is crawling with creepy, little creatures such as spiders, grasshoppers, praying mantis and garter snakes. You’ll notice the landscape is distinguished by contrasting colors and textures while romping across this countryside. An isolated haven nestled in the sprawling suburbs, Crown...

San Rafael Swell Positioned just above the sacred Goblin Valley, the San Rafael Swell is a dramatic gateway to some of the best scenery the state of Utah has to offer. Desolate and devoid of life, this lonely stretch of land is more lively than you’d expect. Traveling west through Colorado, the big, blue and green mountains give way to brown mesas until you reach Grand Junction. From there into eastern Utah, the landscape becomes distinctly barren and beige book cliffs rise out of the sandy soil. Down around the town of Green River, things really start to look deserted as the terrain becomes flat and featureless with not even a single tree in sight. The desert becomes difficult to understand and you begin to feel like all is lost. Just when things look bleak, a narrow pass winds its way through a spiny ridge of jagged spires where the earth is uplifted and sculpted by a spectacular canyon. Placed above it all, a gigantic, pale sky overwhelms the pastel-colored plateau. We’...

Mount Falcon If the trail over Mount Falcon is a portal to the Rockies, then attaining the summit on a sweltering summer day is a gateway to heaven. Ascending the 2,000 foot east face of the mountain is just as grueling as climbing any Colorado 14er. Tormented by sharp yucca plants and prickly cactus, the back-breaking ascent is an insect-infested, rattlesnake-ridden netherworld. The hellacious hike through a scorching desert environment is distinguished by steep switchbacks and meager shade. Upon reaching the summit, a sudden Utopia can only be described as too good to be true. The broad summit is composed of rolling meadows interspersed with lodgepole pine forests that provide a refreshing cover. Butterflies float through flower-filled fields while cottontails browse on tender shoots of fresh grass. Beneath a powder-blue sky, the sound of songbirds is a joyful chorus. The tranquility at the top is a revelation. It's an idyllic reward offered to those who can successful...