Impression Evergreen

Winter's arrival After a month of unseasonably warm weather, a ferocious blizzard last Sunday proclaimed winter’s arrival. The snow fell as fast as the temperature dropped, coating the shocked landscape in sparkling crystals. A misty atmosphere shrouded the mountains in a palette of monochrome color. With the absence of light, aerial perspective was exaggerated as scattered pine trees seemed to recede and disappear into the distance. The morning after, clear skies sent bitterly cold air seeping into aching bones. Breaking trail through deep drifts while trudging through the frozen wilderness was an almost impossible endeavor. The worst part about being out during that frigid sunrise was the howling wind that unleashed a ruthless beatdown. A tremendous gale force was funneled down into the valley taking your breath away. Granules of powdered snow sprinkled across the meadow were shaped in writhing patterns that resembled the shifting sands of a great, white desert. Shar...

Hooded Merganser at Crown Hill Lake On a warm, winter day at Crown Hill Park in Wheat Ridge, Colorado there was abundant wildlife to watch. The inconspicuous refuge is embedded into the outskirts of a bustling, urban corridor. Upon entering the preserve, a coyote was seen pouncing for voles in the wide swath of grassland that encircles the main lake. The stealthy predator was a beautiful canine that has adapted well to life in the big city. Out of the sky, a steady stream of Canada Geese made a noisy landing at the surface’s icy edge. Some of them slid into the open water where they floated freely while others stayed on shore and tucked their beaks into a wing, taking a quick nap. On that Saturday morning a strange looking bird was a surprise visitor that appeared suddenly onto the scene. I was lucky to observe a group of hooded mergansers, four males and one female, fishing in the frigid reservoir. Such striking birds, the males sported white crests that were fanned out i...

"Bergen Peak Summer" Watercolor It’s a warm, summer day in Evergreen, Colorado where Elk Meadow is dry and yellow. Weathered ranch structures provide contrast with the profusion of fresh wildflowers. The imposing Bergen Peak serves as a darkened background while low clouds drift across the shimmering, blue sky. At 9,200 feet, its lofty summit is a regional landmark. People don't describe this mountain as awe-inspiring but the views from the top are. Bergen doesn't attain the same status as a fourteener and some even dismiss it as just another foothill. The lovely crag is just down the street so I’ve spent lots of time on its steep slopes. Over the years I've learned not to underestimate the gentle giant because it can become quite surly. The easy accessibility and excellent trail system make this park a local hot spot. During the summer, the paths are flooded with hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers and horseback riders. The resilient mountain ta...

White Christmas at Bridgeport, Nebraska After a long spell of unseasonably warm weather, an unexpected snowstorm slammed into Bridgeport with a vengeance. Western Nebraska was transformed into a winter landscape of dark woodlands set against the white sandhills. During an expedition to document the blizzard’s dramatic effects, I was guided by a pack of friendly farm dogs. An Australian Shepherd and two Schnorgies plowed through eight inches of snow, blazing a trail along the banks of a winding, black creek. I followed them closely but I missed the shot when they flushed a flock of migrating mallards. Further on as we approached a particularly fine looking tree, a great-horned owl took flight and flapped quietly across the frozen prairie. Throughout the day, bitterly cold temperatures continued to drop and a band of heavy snow kept falling. From an overlook above the valley, the normally far-reaching views were condensed into a blur of powdered forest fused with the milky sky...

"Goliath Peak" Colored Pencil Indiscriminate with its wrath, Goliath Peak is a ferocious summit controlling entry into the Mount Evans Massive. Expressed in the composition above, a casual climb is transfigured into a crippling circumstance of chaos and confusion. And so it begins just below tree line where sinister, black pine are guardians of the gateway to Gehenna. Jumbled across the foreground, patches of muted color are arranged in strange, interlocking shapes. At the far end of the earth, blue mountains are an impenetrable barrier compressing the space into a suffocating picture plane. Silvery green in the summer, the hulking behemoth looms above but it’s not quite as close as it appears. Gnarled, gray snags are twisted in front of the darkest darks as their pale presence is a painful reminder of our certain mortality. Hopefully, the most recent storm has passed as promised by broken clouds that disperse across the steel-blue sky. Reaching the top is a back...

"Mount Evans Winter" Watercolor It's a cold and windy day in a spectacular basin known as Upper Bear Creek. Buried under a blanket of fresh snow, Mount Evans is a lofty landmark that imposes it’s iron will on the local weather patterns. Tethered to the foreground, sturdy evergreens are built to withstand the brutal storms that wreak havoc on this hidden valley. Here, heavy snow clings to the blue spruce creating an intricate pattern of dark and light. This time of year, the landscape can only be expressed with mostly cool colors like blue and green. Surprisingly, there’s also some pink and yellow washed into the drifts that are angled across the foreground. Such a difficult medium to work with, watercolor painting demands that you relinquish control. Most of the fluid brushstrokes are allowed to flow freely as they encourage you to let your imagination run wild. Strokes of pale color are scrubbed across the textured surface, giving a loose suggestion of the v...

Elk Meadow, Colorado It looks like it’s going to be a brown Christmas because the local weather forecast doesn’t call for any moisture in the near future. Usually by now there’s a bit of snow on the ground but this year the fall has been warm and dry. Every day we awake to clear, sunny skies that delay winter’s arrival, keeping even the smallest ponds from becoming frozen. Most people are enjoying the unusual conditions but the photographer must use curious techniques in order to document the dull scenery. Last week while looping around Elk Meadow, I found myself looking for creative ways to portray the barren landscape. At one of my favorite places overlooking the park, I took to shooting straight into the dazzling sun. Further on, a lone rock is described with strong contrast as it’s settled on a bed of soft grass. Along the dusty trail and down into a damp drainage, a ghostly grove of aspen are an eerie niche in the dark forest. Out on the open ridge, a flood of yellow ...

Mule Deer Moment On a dreary, early-autumn morning in the Front Range foothills, swollen, gray clouds have descended to the earth. The colorless curtain shrouds the countryside with an air of mystery and eerie silence. There’s no reason to carry a camera because the low light makes it impossible to even conceive of documenting this unique weather phenomena. In the cold and wet there’s plenty of solitude as there’s not another living soul in sight. A steady drizzle of much needed moisture causes the outline of all elements in the landscape to soften and become blurred. Despite the absence of light, the fall color is more vibrant when the grasses, trees and brush are coated with a vaporous sheen. The soggy jaunt comes with no expectations of anything special as it’s just a chance to soak up the surroundings. Suddenly, up over the crest of a broad ridge a trio of gentle animals is grazing right at the forest’s edge. It’s a mule deer moment that’s just too irresistible to disr...