Impression Evergreen

Sangre de Cristo sunrise Winter nights in the high country are obscure, eternal and inclement and the inkwell of black firmament is glittered with a profusion of silver pinpoints that contradict the startling silence. It’s a beautifully eerie combination of contentment and discomfort. Down in southern Colorado, there’s a mountain range that’s as rugged as it is remote. Rising out of a desert situation, the chain of needle-sharp peaks extends all the way into New Mexico, transporting its picturesque allure across state lines. The mountains are called Blood of Christ and if you ever witness a Sangre de Cristo sunrise, you’ll understand why. Just before dawn, the first solar rays are reflected off of snowy summits, creating a rosy alpenglow that astonishes the retina. The steady transformation unfolds even more dramatically when a setting, full moon shines brightly in a purple sky. The crimson sierras come into full relief as the forceful contrast between light and shadow defines th...

"Dragon Duel" Colored Pencil "Riddles my weapons. Answers my shield. Though you battle with wit, I'll never yield." Slowly the clamped teeth loosened. The watching dragons collectively sighed in disappointment. But the confrontation was not over. "My wit is quite sharp," responded the leader, "as sharp as my claws and teeth. One wound means your life as surely as this battle will. "And if my riddle wounds you?" asked Strange One. "You and your servant leave here alive. You, as an unnatural dragon, are outcast and banished from the gatherings forever..." My friend, Cindy Schuricht, asked me to illustrate the preceding passage for the cover of her new book, Secrets of the Flame - The Power to Protect . Considered a magical fantasy the story is categorized as juvenile fiction. Written in a whimsical format, Secrets teaches us the hard truth about letting go. In the tradition of an American fable, this tale spotlights th...

"I Like Pizza" by Bern and Lukas Miller In the year 2076, Jupiter's massive, red storm exploded into a cataclysmic event that sent shockwaves streaming through the galaxy. An orbiting moon-planet named Ganymede was slingshot into deep space. Rocketing toward the sun, it was heavily damaged as it passed through the asteroid belt. The pummeled planet was spinning out of control before finally coming to rest within the Earth's orbit. Incredibly, we not only inherited a second moon but also strange, new guests from a beleaguered colony. The Ganymedeans are a peaceful bunch who miraculously survived the harrowing 400 million mile journey. They lived in subterranean chambers while subsisting mainly on native roots and grubs. In the most dramatic rescue the world has ever seen, brave pilots from the IGG (Inter-Galactic Guard) shuttled survivors back to Earth. After months of military debriefing, medical exams and governmental processing, the lucky pilgrims have as...