Mountain Lake Wyoming - Colored Pencil Drawing

"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 tower over the alpine landscape. The mountain’s jagged profile is serrated into different sections creating a sawtooth ridge.


The heart of this pristine wilderness is the beautiful lake that sits in the high cirque like a turquoise jewel. The breezy conditions cause white-capped waves to form and glide across the water’s surface.


Accenting the splendid landscape, a wreath of lush greenery surrounds the reservoir. Across the water, a patch of evergreen forest clings to the north slope while an array of brush and shrubbery decorates the foreground.


The impending storm signals the first challenge of high country hardship that must be overcome but there’s also a resilient spirit that I can feel permeating the early winter drama associated with this time of year.

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