Impression Evergreen

"Sneffels Range Spring" Watercolor Tucked discretely below the Dallas Divide, the Sneffels is a scenic sub-range of the San Juan Mountains. The confusion of untidy crags is a rugged remnant of an ancient volcano. It's late spring but bare rock is beginning to emerge from a shroud of heavy, winter snow. A row of crooked cottonwoods is an elaborate gateway into the Colorado wild. Patches of delicate dandelions are scattered throughout the lush meadow while an assembly of blazing brush complicates an already busy foreground. As a gray sky drizzles the landscape with cold rain, receding into the distance, colors cool from violet to blue-green. A series of spectacular buttes is a scenic prelude to an awesome alpine environment where cautious strokes define the ragged peaks. Composed from equal parts image, experience and memory, this painting was not meant to hang on a wall. It's more of a sketch than a showpiece. A little bit looser and fabricated with less con

"Sneffels Range Spring" Acrylic Tucked discretely below the Dallas Divide, the Sneffels is a scenic sub-range of the San Juan Mountains. The confusion of untidy crags is a rugged remnant of an ancient volcano. It's late spring but bare rock is beginning to emerge from a shroud of heavy, winter snow. A row of crooked cottonwoods is an elaborate gateway into the Colorado wild. Patches of delicate dandelions are scattered throughout the lush meadow while an assembly of blazing brush complicates an already busy foreground. As a gray sky drizzles the landscape with cold rain, receding into the distance, colors cool from violet to blue-green. A series of spectacular buttes is a scenic prelude to an awesome alpine environment where cautious strokes define the ragged peaks. Composed from equal parts image, experience and memory, this painting was not meant to hang on a wall. It's more of a sketch than a showpiece. A little bit looser and fabricated with less concer

Evergreen Mountain Summit It’s an early-summer morning at the summit of Evergreen Mountain and the thin air is clear and crisp. The strokes of pure color brushed loosely onto the page are confined by the black ink that traces the mountain landscape. The yellow foreground is a jumble of rocks and tundra, gleaming gold in the bright sunlight. Clinging to the treacherous top, a limber pine is a textured tree with needled branches that splay into the brilliant, blue sky. Across the valley below, Mount Evans Wilderness recedes into the distance through layers of pale green. Strung out across the skyline, a row of mighty peaks are still shimmering white with tons of packed snow. Currently steeped in the depths of a dark-blue season, only our memories can summon the warmth of those sweet, summer days. With each new dawn, the light is lasting just a little bit longer offering hope that soon we’ll be enjoying nature moments just like this.

"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.

Toadstool Geologic Park, Nebraska Nebraska is known for its flat countryside and endless fields of corn but if you’re willing to veer off the main road and head to the northwest corner, you’ll discover the rugged badlands. It’s a place that time forgot and hiking here is treacherous, tiring and hotter than hell. Just like the red planet, Toadstool Geologic Park is a harsh, sun-baked environment gouged by a desolate chasm. Down at the bottom of the gorge, you’re tempted by a devil's playground of balancing rocks, sandstone spires and a maze of sidetracks. This portal to the center of the earth is an arid landscape that’s awash with spectacular scenery. God may have forsaken this grim abyss long ago but after my remarkable experience here, I’ve come to cherish happy memories of exploring this damned canyon.

"Zion Canyon" Colored Pencil Celebrated for its rivers, lakes, mountains and canyons, the Colorado Plateau is a complicated composition. It would take a lifetime to fully explore and comprehend this unusual place. To express southern Utah’s unending beauty through perfection would certainly fail. Devoid of tedious details, this desert landscape was drawn freely from an etched memory. It’s a sizzling, summer day in Zion Canyon where the clear air is hot and dry. An orange undertone permeates the textured paper and infuses the dreamy rendering with a warm glow. Providing some relief from the heat, a row of crooked cottonwoods lines the muddy riverbank. Exiting at an angle, the Virgin is a refreshing river whose color reflects the powder-blue sky. The soft edges of a wispy, white cloud seem to melt into an infinite atmosphere. Photographs are unable to interpret the scenery with acceptable realism so a vivid imagination is required. As a cactus anchors the corner,

Toadstool Geologic Park Banished to the remote northwest corner of Nebraska, Toadstool Geologic Park is a land that time forgot. Treking through these rugged badlands is treacherous, tiring and hotter than hell. Bison Trail begins at the Hudson-Meng archaeological dig site and gently traverses a vast, grassland prairie. A hidden entrance into the gorge appears suddenly and the steep descent is like a gateway to Gehenna. Once inside the abyss, a maze of sidetracks, slots and secret passageways will tempt the explorer to stray from the true path. Continue on this journey to the center of the earth and the scenery becomes even more spectacular. Down at the bottom, you’re surrounded by a devil's playground of balancing rocks, sandstone spires and perfect pyramids. It’s useless to resist some slight wanderings but a successful escape from this lonely planet depends on a hasty retreat. It’s an uphill climb all the way and the battle begins with your first step back. During t

"Sneffels Range Spring" Colored Pencil Tucked discretely below the Dallas Divide, the Sneffels is a scenic sub-range of the San Juan Mountains. The confusion of untidy crags is a rugged remnant of an ancient volcano. It's late spring but bare rock is beginning to emerge from a shroud of heavy, winter snow. A row of crooked cottonwoods is an elaborate gateway into the Colorado wild. Patches of delicate dandelions are scattered throughout the lush meadow while an assembly of blazing brush complicates an already busy foreground. As a gray sky drizzles the landscape with cold rain, receding into the distance, colors cool from violet to blue-green. A series of spectacular buttes is a scenic prelude to an awesome alpine environment where a single, cautious stroke defines the ragged peaks. Composed from equal parts image, experience and memory, this drawing was not meant to hang on a wall. It's more of a sketch than a showpiece. A little bit looser and fabricated

"Garden of the Gods Pikes Peak" Colored Pencil At first, this unforgettable landscape was a place I could barely remember. Rising out of dark greenery, Garden of the Gods is a glorious gateway to soulful Pikes Peak. The red sandstone slabs stand out sharply against the rugged vegetation resting below. Above, rumbling with thunder, the swirling sky releases rolling clouds filled with precious rainfall. Receding into the distance, through shades of blue, the massive mountains brace for the incoming storm. A frequent occurrence in the summer, the entire scene has been simplified into interlocking shapes. Gradients of orange and green describe the desert floor while the peaks are painted with patches of flat, pure pigment. To really get to know the region, we climbed around on rocky terrain. As for the final drawing, achieving the desired result, required a total recall. Once the misplaced memory returned, finishing this particular project was a piece of cake.