Impression Evergreen

"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

Midwinter Blues It’s midwinter and it won’t stop snowing as Evergreen is experiencing one or two storms every week. During small interludes, warmer weather generates some melting but, overall, the big drifts continue to grow. On clear days, the subzero temps are brutal but the sun’s clean rays infiltrate the forest causing the trees to sparkle. The giant pine cast deep blue shadows that undulate across the wavy surface of the sea of snow. Last summer the lively marshland was brimming with activity as the place is popular with both people and wildlife but now it’s as still as a cemetery. If you can withstand the elements, there is a certain peace that can only be found in such winter haunts. Monolithic Bergen Peak quietly overlooks the grandeur of a frozen landscape paralyzed by the bitter cold. The mountain’s stoic expression reveals a permanence that’s reassuring during these ever-changing times. While buried under feet of white powder, life struggles to survive as the wild anim

Evergreen Lake Trail Tracing the irregular contour of a scenic watershed, Evergreen Lake Trail is a looping artery centered in the heart of the foothills. On a hazy, autumn morning the water’s smooth surface faithfully reflects an unusually emerald-colored sky. Other anomalies also occur as the pall of silence evokes an eerie sensation that is unexpected after such a boisterous summer. During this seasonal transformation, the marshland glows with a sheen of vibrant color more vivid than years past. Surprisingly this watery world has remained fluid well into the onset of another mild winter. The predictable cycle of annual weather seems to have shifted so traditional patterns arrive later than normal, leaving the local inhabitants in a state of bewilderment. A scenic watershed A watery world Cycles have shifted Heart of the foothills A glowing marshland A sheen of color A state of bewilderment

Bergen Park Trail The Bergen Park Trail is a distinct walkway that circumnavigated a very old swath of ponderosa pine forest. The giant trees blot out the sun but some especially resilient rays of light pierce the canopy of sharp needles. The subtle luminescence is responsible for the soft shadows that creep across the summer’s last tufts of tall grass. At the southern section of the green belt, the scenery opens up where a pair of little ponds reflects the scenic backdrop. This mild season seems eternal as there has been hardly a hint of the snow that normally adorns the landscape this time of year. We will wait anxiously for the first big storm that generates the winter weather to which we’ve become so accustomed. Bergen Park Circumnavigates old pine Ponds reflect the backdrop Mild season seems eternal Waiting for a storm

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

The cycle of life After this fall’s first snow, pleasant reflections of more comforting times wrestle with an overwrought mind. The former glory of a vivacious Elk Meadow and its adjacent woodland is now nothing but a bittersweet memory. The graceful grassland battled to the very end but eventually succumbed to powerful, natural forces beyond the season’s control. The unsuspecting landscape was swept into a futile murkiness by an icy gust determined to steal an innocent soul. The difficult trauma induced by such transitional change can only be overcome by the passage of precious time. The cycle of life is a callous certainty responsible for happiness and heartbreak but in either case we must possess the strength to carry on. Pleasant reflections Vivacious elk meadow Bittersweet memories An unsuspecting landscape Graceful grassland Transitional change The passage of time Happiness and heartbreak The cycle of life The strength to carry on

Evergreen Lake summer During the summer, Evergreen Lake is a gleaming eden treasured by floating waterfowl, rainbow trout and the great blue heron. Below the dam, a bountiful garden of wildflowers bursts forth, displaying nature’s full color spectrum. The biggest draw is the plethora of birds that inhabit this area during the year’s warmest months. The lively reservoir is home to cormorants, geese, blackbirds, swallows, sparrows, hummingbirds, hawks and bald eagles.   The region’s wildest weather is funneled through Bear Creek Canyon so some of the most surreal clouds can be seen reflected on the surface of the lake. The forest creeps down to the water creating interesting compositions with branches shaped to follow the contour of Bergen Peak. The popular park is a place that has something to offer everyone so the usage gets pretty heavy. That’s why summer isn’t necessarily my favorite season - I like this place in the winter, after a storm, when the only noise is the sound of sile