Impression Evergreen

"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

"Red Alpenglow" Colored Pencil Down in southern Colorado a string of snow-covered mountains looms over a broad, ranchland valley. It’s just before dawn and the sun’s rays are streaming into the atmosphere where the light is reflected onto the peaks, creating a red alpenglow. The drawing’s obscure foreground is still frozen in a state of mystic shadow. A stand of dark trees stretches across the page as the strange silhouette is outlined in blue, emphasizing the scene’s surreal essence. The snowy pasture gradually gives way to the rosy cordillera where the shapes are defined by passages of delicate shading. Devoid of all detail, the white summits melt into a bleached sky, confirming the mountains’ sacred connection with heaven. Rather than race to faithfully record the fleeting nature of a transitory sunrise, it seems like there must be something much deeper. An expressionistic approach releases the artist to pursue a more personal interpretation that depends on a certain

"Moraine Park" During the early winter, ice chips are sprayed down from the Great Divide into the Moraine Park Valley. Heavy clouds lurk towards the horizon erasing from view the big peaks that confine the isolated meadow. The glacial gorge was gradually created by the corrosive forces of ice, wind and rain. One of the eroded land’s last dynamic remnants is a wild, winding river known as the Big Thompson. At this point in its course, the creek meanders lazily through the gentle grassland. Some of the most distinguishing features are the protruding boulders that seem to stand upright during the season’s low tide. The yellow-ochre field is gouged by muddy, black banks that slide into the sandbars of rocky rubble. Tangled rows of red-violet willows adorn the deep fringes of this gorgeous waterway. It’s a heavenly region tucked away high in the northern Rockies where Colorado’s alpine beauty begins. As the grandeur continues to sprawl south, there are innumerable noo

Birding at Evergreen Lake Spread out below Mount Evans, the Front Range foothills are an exquisite parcel in Colorado. There are dark forests, clear creeks, deep canyons and wide open meadows that support a diverse variety of wildlife but if it’s birds you’re looking for, Evergreen Lake is the place to be. Formed when Bear Creek was dammed, the lake is a birder’s heaven centered around a riparian ecosystem that hosts a vast array of feathered friends. Red-winged blackbirds appears to rule the roost from their kingdom in the cattails while barn swallows are masters of flight that own the airspace just above the water’s surface. Of course you’ll see some of the stereotypical waterfowl like Canada geese, crows, mallard ducks and prehistoric cormorants. There are also some more exotic species so on any given day you might see a great blue heron, a rufous hummingbird or a gang of masked bandits called cedar waxwings. At the pond, we’ve also seen a hooded merganser, American dippe

"Gore Range Wildflowers" Colored Pencil Drawn mostly from memory, this landscape depicts the vista from Ute Pass, looking across the Blue River Valley. The summery scene is an optimistic vision of a fruitful future. North out of Silverthorne, the gentle mountains turn jagged, purple and picturesque. As golden clouds glide overhead, the chaos of opposing angles creates an exciting composition. A bouquet of colorful wildflowers fills the foreground as the natural beauty is a garden of earthly delight. Delicate details of dark and light define this beautiful arrangement. Rising sharply out of the fertile plateau, the rugged range is still laced with an intricate pattern of white snow. Finally, the forms are intentionally simplified in order to better express the mystique of these heavenly peaks.

The Northport Canal On a warm summer evening in western Nebraska, wandering along the Northport canal is simply wonderful. Cut through an infinite prairie of yellow grass, the winding waterway satisfies thirsty crops. Drifting by unnoticed, storm clouds pass silently over the vast Sandhills. Still standing in the secluded pasture, an abandoned homestead seems like an idyllic place. The rickety windmill looks like it works but the rest is in ruins. Grazing on the neglected grounds, cattle are curious about our unexpected appearance but mostly they’re content to chew cud. Western kingbirds hold court in the blue grasses that border the slow-moving stream. Around the bend, a great blue heron is startled by strangers and vanishes into the distance like a grey ghost. As the setting sun drenches the landscape with golden light, this glorious day comes to an end. Like the fleeting journey in Pilgrim’s Progress, so perfect is this peaceable kingdom that it must be a dream. Thoug

The Salt Lake Temple Fleeing from religious persecution, Brigham Young gathered his followers and led an exodus of Mormons into the American desert. They wandered over the Wasatch Mountains and settled in the isolated Salt Lake Valley (July 1847) where they hoped to build a New Jerusalem. Upon their arrival, the pioneers promptly began construction of the Temple (February 1853) and it took almost exactly 40 years to finish. The pious palace is designed to be a portal to heaven and a place where believers can communicate with the Lord. Salt Lake Temple is the centerpiece of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah and it’s an international symbol of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The actual Temple building is closed to the public and LDS Church members may only enter if they’ve earned a special certificate called a Temple Recommend. The square, however, is accessible to all and visitors are encouraged to thoroughly explore the rest of the gorgeous grounds. The