I wish I could add the music that I heard as I painted this sunset on Chimney Rock. It was a lovely evening.
Notice my 4 year old resting her head in my lap as I painted and we listened to music, and those are my son’s feet behind me. He did a painting, too, we shared a box of pastels.
Between sunset last night, and sunrise this morning I went to the camp talent show. We gathered out on a beautiful porch and enjoyed songs, and poems, stories, and jokes. The desert got darker and the community closer. I found myself thinking about the year we lived in Cuba. When we arrived, we had paperwork to fill out: name, passport number, home address, and then we had to list our skill and our talent. Those were two things that everyone should have to contribute to the community. As I enjoyed the talent show last night I thought how wonderful it was, and what talent I might offer up. What would your talent be if you had a minute, a week, a month, or a year to prepare? Think about it, perhaps we will meet next summer in the desert and by the light of the stars, share a little part of ourselves in a way we humans have for thousands of years.
There is no better way to end a day than sitting back and watching nature’s light show, and a fun challenge to try to capture the moment.
Pastel on sanded paper 7″x5″
The same way I pre choose a pallete in pastels to paint a sunrise in plein air, I think next time, I will premix some colors in oil. The race against time was harder than I expected, but the sunrise was nestled in a wonderful quiet, and much more beautiful than I have experienced in a long time.
It was a beautiful early morning by the lake, and I had a perfect spot waiting for my trail runners so I did a little plein air study.
Here is my last runner, so ready or not my study is done and I am off to the rest of my day. Good to get outside and paint and support the fine sport of trail running.
Perfect place to spend an afternoon. Who is up for a short trail run?
Bluff Springs is an easy day hike along abandoned grades of the historic Cloudcroft logging railroad. The abandoned grades make excellent trails for both hiking in summer and snowshoeing in winter (wishful thinking on my part!). Special attractions: Waterfall; historic railroad grade; lush forest. Climbing up to this bluff is like landing in an alpine meadow. Beautiful light surrounded by old growth firs. I have the painting supplies, who wants to pack the picnic?
We waited on pins and needles last summer as the White Mountain Wilderness burned. We learned this summer that the fires that passed through were not too hot to ruin the forest, our beloved Argentina, and Bonito canyons were saved! Today I hiked hiked Bonito canyon with my kids. Another year of maturity liberated me from having to pack in a child on my back. The girls were in bipedal delight, and the boys were packed down with lunch and water bottles on their backs, which left me free to carry plein air painting supplies! The boys headed up into the canyon with slingshots and pockets heavy with rocks, and the girls waded and splashed at my feet in a lovely stream all day. I hiked with my family, painted by a babbling stream, and had my favorite hiking lunch: triscuits, hard salami, pink lady apples and good cheese.
I am grateful for a perfect day.
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I used the stone wall around Ghost House as a standing desk to paint this morning. The air was brisk after a wonderful storm last night.
Limited palette, quick study, historic landscape…it was a lovely morning.
paintandsimple 