Impression Evergreen

Early Spring Evergreen Erected along the grassy shoreline, a statuesque heron hunts discreetly in the evening light. The virtuous, great blue displays extraordinary patience while stalking prey in the muddy shallows. It’s barely spring at Evergreen Lake so there’s not much activity except for an occasional ruckus raised by the red-wings. While I was in the vicinity, I never witnessed the great blue take a stab at anything edible so I hope she wasn’t overly famished. Crumpled under heavy snow for most of the winter, the dusky marshland is slowly creeping back to life. Most of the barren trees are just now starting to sprout buds at the tips of their limber branches. The surrounding mountains are impressive as ever after shedding their white blanket. The ring of high hills creates a sequestered valley enclosing an Edenic landscape bursting with both flora and fauna. Because of the dramatic cloud cover, fading rays of sunshine strike the slopes at unusual angles. The peaks appear

The vernal equinox Heralding the supposed start of spring, the vernal equinox is marked by more heavy snow. The struggle continues as southern storms wheel into the foothills leaving huge drifts and bitter cold in their wakes. As the wet flakes finally stop falling, the pine forest interior is a perfect place to experience the frosty aftermath. Somehow, these defiant trees manage to survive in the difficult climate that defines this area. Smothered under oppressive clouds, the forest is more silver than gray with hints of color that flicker in rebellious light. The trees are cloaked in an encrusted web of thick snow that binds to the needles like cement. Limber trunks and branches bow under the immense pressure of excessive weight but they never break. The dark, frozen woodland always seems to bounce back after the elusive blue skies return. The storm’s dispersal is certain to compose spectacular scenery as the mountain peaks start to jut out of a veil of smoky mist. The warmer

"Bergen Peak from Evergreen Lake" Colored Pencil A swift breeze sweeps across the surface of Evergreen Lake sending ripples through the reservoir’s vivid reflections. It’s springtime in the foothills so fresh greenery is on display but the willow brush and aspen trees are not yet in full bloom. The whole Bear Creek Valley has come back to life and Bergen Peak looms over the scene, its north face cradled by a web of branches and pine needles. The reinvigorated forest reaches to the water’s edge where a slender tree leans into the vibrant landscape. After enduring a perpetual winter of deep freeze, the vernal atmosphere raises the spirit to a higher level of longing. Like the small cloud drifting across the drawing’s page, nothing stays the same as nature seems to thrive in constant change.

Mount Vernon Creek Trail The Mount Vernon Creek Trail is an outlying pathway tracing the outer contour of Red Rocks' frontier boundary. It’s early spring so there’s not much foliage but the barren trees stand out sharply against vermillion crags. While trekking over the rolling terrain, several little streams come tumbling down out of the foothills and flow discreetly into the Mount Vernon. Up out of the valley and a stunning array of sandstone formations dominate the diverse landscape. During the delightful descent, a hidden gulch is chock full of flowering bushes featuring blossoms of pure white. Back down in the bottomlands far from the crowds above, we follow the cottonwoods and soon find ourselves in a place that feels like our own, little forest of peace. Diverse landscape Sandstone formations Barren trees A stunning array Rolling terrain Early spring Flowering bushes Vermillion crags White blossoms The frontier boundary A forest of peace Mount Vernon Creek valley A little

Dead Horse Point, Utah Soaring above the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point is a photographers paradise featuring sublime subject matter. While hiking along the rim’s irregular contour during the evening, the violet shadows shift restlessly across the staggered buttes. The day’s last sunlight is filtered through a veil of thin clouds, creating dramatic conditions that are infused into the intricate pattern of wild escarpments. The vast expanse weaves luminance, color and form into a bountiful vista of visual delight, overloading the senses. Deeper into dusk, things become more simple and obscure as the distinct shapes lose their edges and melt into a blue atmosphere. I’m not exactly sure how this place got its startling name but I do know that while occupying a remote overlook on the point, it feels like your standing at the edge of the world. A photographer's paradise Violet shadows Wild escarpments Last light Bountiful vista Visual delight A blue atm

"Blue Inlet" Colored Pencil It is a late spring morning at Evergreen Lake and a potent storm has blanketed the foothills with wet snow. The only living creature bearing witness to the extraordinary landscape is a Canada goose, drifting quietly across the water’s rippled surface. The blue inlet is defined by the irregular contours of dark reflections that mirror the surrounding pine forest. This cold channel meanders through a snowy marsh painted white but dappled with squiggly, gray shadows. A mountainside’s choppy ridgeline descends into the narrow valley creating an effective backdrop for the stand of pale aspen trees. In the far background a jade-colored peak offers just a touch of warmth to the otherwise cool, color scheme. This wilderness expression is an enigmatic puzzle of interlocking shapes that vibrate from the contrast generated by passages of flat and shaded chroma. The solemn composition is crackled with facets of pigment that are layered, burnished and smu