This is an 8 x 10 painting I did yesterday at Boreas Pass, Colorado (elevation 11,481 feet). The scene is of the last few trees at timberline...I liked the way they were illuminated on one side by the morning sun. Boreas Pass is named for the ancient Greek god of the North Wind, and yesterday the pass seemed well-named. There was a stiff breeze and the air was chilly, especially for July 28. I weighted my easel with large rocks and put on 2 sweatshirts. Still the painting was a challenge because the wind wanted to blow my brush off-course as it approached the canvas. I had to brace my painting arm against the easel or my other arm. But it was a great day and after painting I hiked up to Black Powder Pass (which is just above Boreas) and admired the wildflowers.

I hope to paint at some of the other high passes before winter.

Here is another painting from a return visit to Silver Plume, painted on location. No mystery why I wanted to paint this...the old red caboose in the middle of town! This painting is 10 x 8 inches. The photo of it has washed out the light shapes a little, but it's pretty close.

I have always liked trees, and now I like to paint them. This painting is 14 x 11 inches and is based on a photo I took of some trees near the northeastern coast of Spain. The Pyrenees are in the background.

Yesterday I spent the morning in the town of Silver Plume, Colorado painting with a group of plein-air painters. Here is a scene of the main street of town, which is a gravel street. Silver Plume is an old mining town about an hour west of Denver. I liked the morning sun on the fronts of the old buildings. This sketch is 8 x 10 inches.

It's summer in Colorado and that means it's time for outdoor painting! Here are a couple of 8x10 sketches I made at the Flying J Ranch park in Conifer, Colorado. We've had an extraordinary amount of rain lately and the meadows in our area are greener than usual. I am planning to paint on-site outdoors at least once a week through the summer and hopefully the autumn as well.