Impression Evergreen

"Cult of the Sun" Colored Pencil Warm, autumnal sunshine permeates the interior of Poudre Canyon, illuminating a kaleidoscope of dazzling colors. The splendid scene is set ablaze with an array of fiery tones that are barely balanced by the rolling, blue river. Sturdy stands of yellow cottonwood brace both sides of the composition as patches of gray-green define their leafy profile. A line of bushes arcs into the middle ground, graduating in size, shape and color where its termination is reflected on the creek’s surface. The rugged shallows are littered with polished stones of slate and orange while some of the bigger boulders, protruding from the deeper channel, create whitewater waves. Across the way, a pile of rubble cascades down to the far shoreline. The steep slope is covered by an astonishing blanket of interwoven flecks of pure color that are blended by the observer’s eye. Clinging to this incredible hillside tapestry are scattered clusters of burning brush and roc

Cold, blue creek It’s brutally frigid on the Arctic plain but a cold, blue creek rushes defiantly through a field of icy florets. Freshly fallen snow has created a deep embankment smoothed over by persistent winds. Providing a warm note, reddish trees are gathered in clusters that are scattered throughout the winter pasture. At 22 degrees below zero, there isn’t another living creature to be seen, making the extraordinary wandering even more memorable. The intense storm has cleared out but even a dazzling sun can’t warm up the cushion of cold air that has filled the void left behind. The stream of transparent indigo flows in a series of sharp s-curves through a vast country of desolation. Life on the prairie is hard. Brutally frigid Deep embankments Icy florets Freshly fallen snow A dazzling sun An indigo stream Cushion of cold air Desolate country Life on the prairie is hard Reddish trees

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.