Impression Evergreen

Elk Ridge Secluded in Bergen Peak’s purple shadow, a writhing dirt path snakes it’s way through a tall grass meadow. From the wavy elk pasture, you can see Elk Ridge’s dark spine curve above a dense forest of ponderosa pine. The narrow crinkle of rocky trail is a scenic backbone that bridges the flatland with the big mountain’s steep slopes. This year an assortment of yellow wildflowers sprout from the rich turf, glittering like gold medallions in the summer sunlight. Tall, leaning trees testify to the power of strong wind gusts that blow intermittently across the open sections of the rugged buttress. Blue clouds churn overhead promising precipitation but the atmosphere is too hot so it doesn’t rain at all. From the summit of the natural crease in the land, the edges of pyramidal peaks in the distance are softened by a smokey haze. The current season is fleeting as during the lazy descent, departing bluebirds, turning aspen leaves and floating thistle seed hint at an early autumn. A ...

Horses Out in the panhandle of western Nebraska, where the desolate Sandhills assimilate into the North Platte River Valley, horses seem to outnumber the sparse human population. Circles of corn are scattered throughout the fertile basin but the rugged highlands are reserved as pastureland for cattle and horses. Sometimes I see them as a solitary creature lost in a vast sea of prairie grasses but usually these social animals are observed in small herds. Horses are curious by nature so sometimes they approach the fence line in order to investigate strange visitors. Horses spend most of their time grazing contentedly in their idyllic environment but sometimes they become quite playful as they run, buck and roll with enthusiastic delight. Horses are an indisputable symbol of the Great Plains and a beautiful reminder of their importance in how the West was won. Small herds Horses outnumber people North Platte River Valley Lost in a sea of grass Symbol of the Great Plains Grazing contente...

Mount Vernon Creek Trail The Mount Vernon Creek Trail is an outlying pathway tracing the outer contour of Red Rocks' frontier boundary. It’s early spring so there’s not much foliage but the barren trees stand out sharply against vermillion crags. While trekking over the rolling terrain, several little streams come tumbling down out of the foothills and flow discreetly into the Mount Vernon. Up out of the valley and a stunning array of sandstone formations dominate the diverse landscape. During the delightful descent, a hidden gulch is chock full of flowering bushes featuring blossoms of pure white. Back down in the bottomlands far from the crowds above, we follow the cottonwoods and soon find ourselves in a place that feels like our own, little forest of peace. Diverse landscape Sandstone formations Barren trees A stunning array Rolling terrain Early spring Flowering bushes Vermillion crags White blossoms The frontier boundary A forest of peace Mount Vernon Creek valley A little ...

Petroglyphs near Moab, Utah Near the town of Moab, Utah if you keep your eyes open, you might see rock art carved by Native Americans hundreds of years ago. The most conspicuous sites are where the symbols are carved out of dark rock panels revealing light-colored graphics. As opposed to painted Pictographs, Petroglyphs are scratched or incised into the brown, desert varnish. The abstract images are exceptionally concise but that simplicity is what evokes such a powerfully honest expression. The meaning behind these mesmerizing works is not exactly known but the artists who created them must have been revered for their magical powers. It is an extraordinary thing to be in the desert hiking through a remote arroyo and stumble upon an ancient gallery of remarkable artwork. Rock art Symbols carved out of dark rock Scratched into the desert varnish Mesmerizing works Light-colored graphics Abstract images An extraordinary thing Exceptionally concise An honest expression Remarkable artwork

"Mountain Storm" Colored Pencil It’s an early winter morning and a mountain storm is funneled by a string of ghostly peaks into a remote river valley. It’s the first big tempest of the season so it won’t be long before the view vanishes behind a squall of heavy snow. Trickling through a maze of wine-colored willow-brush, the lazy river is oblivious to the deteriorating weather conditions. The black shrubs anchor the foreground into place and bookend the wide value range this landscape displays. Illuminated in a murky ambiance, this vista is characterized by soft edges and subtle gradations, requiring a soft touch to reproduce. More realistic than my recent pieces, this drawing still retains a certain romanticism with life in the West.

Dead Horse Point, Utah Soaring above the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point is a photographers paradise featuring sublime subject matter. While hiking along the rim’s irregular contour during the evening, the violet shadows shift restlessly across the staggered buttes. The day’s last sunlight is filtered through a veil of thin clouds, creating dramatic conditions that are infused into the intricate pattern of wild escarpments. The vast expanse weaves luminance, color and form into a bountiful vista of visual delight, overloading the senses. Deeper into dusk, things become more simple and obscure as the distinct shapes lose their edges and melt into a blue atmosphere. I’m not exactly sure how this place got its startling name but I do know that while occupying a remote overlook on the point, it feels like your standing at the edge of the world. A photographer's paradise Violet shadows Wild escarpments Last light Bountiful vista Visual delight A blue atm...