Impression Evergreen

"Curious Red Fox" Colored Pencil A red fox emerges from the lush undergrowth of a dark forest, watching quietly from atop a granite platform. A keen observer of the world around him, this resourceful creature has earned a legendary reputation for intelligence and cunning. The fox is nimble afoot and has remarkable paws built for rough terrain while his black stockings blend impossibly into the vermillion coat. More orange than red, he moves easily through the thick brush and across a rockfall of strewn boulders. Cropped out of the picture, the bushy brown tail lends some balance to the agile critter as well as to the composition. The textured, pine tree trunk is pushed into the background because of its low contrast, enclosing the scene. The depiction is awash in morning light as limber ferns cast a pattern of peculiar shadows across the interior space. This resurrected drawing was freshened up with layers of rich color and completed with cautious realism. The de

Red Fox At Evergreen we always have a few weeks of bad weather during the transition between winter and spring. It's usually cold, very windy and includes a wet rain/snow mix. It can turn the spring sports practices into a miserable experience. That's how it was a couple of years ago when my son played baseball in Idaho Springs, Colorado. After dropping him off, we'd wander along the banks of Clear Creek and scramble across the smooth boulders strewn throughout the canyon. We met the little fox pictured above during one of our baseball-practice-time-kiling-excursions. The den we discovered was a network of cracks, crevices, holes and tunnels located within a jumble of gray rocks. There were three kits, each with a different personality. One was cautious and shy, one was serious and aloof and the other was curious and rowdy. We spent many cool, damp hours observing them at rest and at play. After a while, they seemed to accept our presence so I was able to get lots

"Red Fox" Colored Pencil Foregoing the comfort of a den, this red fox has chosen to sleep in the open on a bed of sticks and grass. The long, bushy tail wrapped around his nose acts as a warm cover. His red-orange coat is contrasted against the soft, blue-green background. In some corners of the world, the red fox is reviled and hunted as a pest. Not here, we find them friendly and their always entertaining behavior fun to watch. The resourceful red fox has adapted well to human environments and is now geographically widespread. From farms to suburbs, to the interior of big cities, its range has actually increased alongside human expansion. Usually nocturnal, we see them here at any time during the day. The kits are playful and seem more curious than frightened of people. The adults use creative hunting tactics that employ exceptional cunning and trickery. If strategy doesn't work then spinning, jumping and pouncing appear to be very successful. Because of their