Impression Evergreen

"Lukas in Black and White" Colored Pencil Lukas is 20 years old and this portrait is a simplified description composed in black and white. Not intended to be a photographic likeness, the sitter’s unique personality is expressed through deliberate exaggeration. The young man’s head is close-cropped bringing his vigorous presence up close and personal. His jet-black hair is splayed off the page while some unruly strands hang down over the forehead. Luke’s bright eyes are the focal point so they are the most precise feature while there is less detail as the drawing radiates out to the edges. The sharp contrast between light and dark defines his appearance. The thick nose and full lips cast soft shadows that create the illusion of three dimensions. The prominent chin is the centerpiece of a rugged jawline, creating a rigid contour that is his most striking characteristic. The facial structure is built upon the foundation of a powerful neck that betrays the physical tenacity posse...

"Mountain Wilderness Utah" Colored Pencil The Timpanogos Wilderness in Utah is a beautiful place to visit during the late fall because of the extraordinary range of vibrant hues. Even the darkest shadows are saturated with greens, blues and violets. The area’s rugged terrain is as varied as the landscape’s color spectrum. The giant peaks are composed of sheer rock and textured with patches of pine trees while the deep valley is a sea of dense underbrush. The scene is a study in startling contrasts because the flaming, wavy grasses are absolutely opposed to the somber, solid mountains. The peaks have a certain architectural structure whereas the field flows. This drawing is not about capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere, it is searching for something more eternal and monumental. There is no aerial perspective here as the space is intentionally compressed. As the expanse of sky descends, it gradually becomes more yellow because particles from the earth below m...

"Mountain Lake Wyoming" Colored Pencil The first snow hasn’t fallen yet at Wyoming’s majestic Snowy Range but the annual, weather event feels imminent. A strong wind blows in from the west bringing cold air and the hint of moisture along with it. Trying to truthfully express the magnificent occasion unfolding before us requires the arrangement of simplified forms combined with a limited palette. Black paper unifies the composition and brightens the colors. Just like stained-glass windows in a church, the different elements are outlined in black and filled with unbroken color. The abstract shapes are flattened thus rejecting objective realism in favor of subjective expressionism. The incoming storm asserts itself with a violet cloud cover that unfurls gradually across the vulnerable sky. It’s just a matter of time before the snow squall releases an inundation of heavy, wet snowfall. Contrasting with the lilac-colored atmosphere, the golden peaks are absolutely glowing as they ...

"Christmas Day" Colored Pencil It’s a melancholy Christmas Day morning and the sullen mood is intensified by the murky atmosphere. The winter weather is chilly and bleak with a sharp breeze blowing cold air, stinging my face. Moving at a sluggish pace, I trudge along the water’s purple edge as the shallow, green creek snakes its way through the desolate pasture. There’s no snow on the ground which is unusual for this time of the year. The desolate, golden grassland is dusted with a layer of dirty brown and smudged over a rugged texture typical of this hard land. Like a pink mirage, a reclusive range of sand hills sulks silently in the distance. The barren plain supports the skeletal frames of a few gnarled trees whose red coloring is shaded with orange and blue. The eerie woodland is dark and soulless invoking a heightened sense of loneliness. Reflecting on the pain of loss, I stare upwards where a bulky, gray cloud obscures the brooding, blue sky. In that moment I be...