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Vintage Winter

Finished this small painting today - an abandoned auto in a winter aspen forest. Titled Vintage Winter, 6 inches square, $80 unframed.

Storm's Reveal

The mood of the mountains shift quickly. On a stormy day, the sun momentarily seeps through the clouds to reveal a bright cluster of aspens.

24 x 18 inches 

Oil on linen panel, unframed, $800.

Aspen Guardians - New large painting

I finished a large painting in my aspen series and thought it would be nice to post some progression photos as the painting evolved.

My first step is to sketch out the general layout/relationships in an oil wash.

After premixing a few colors, usually a light and shadow for each, I paint from top left to right.

After two days of painting.

At this stage, I have the entire canvas covered and let is sit for a few days while I decide what to change, add, etc.

I added some dark tones behind the mid-ground aspens and added a fir tree to the foreground to break up the stark tree trunks of the three aspens on the left half of the composition.

For the final touches, I added more dark tones behind the mid-ground aspens and filled out the fir tree in the foreground and gave it less detail so it would not compete with the Aspen Guardians.

Through the Aspens

See the forest for the trees...the aspen trees! Similar to a recent painting, Summer Aspens, I painted a different background. I am experiementing with various compositions for a larger painting. This 8 x 8 square painting can be purchased through my website using PayPal or through my Etsy site.

Summer Aspens

At summer's end, the aspens give one last burst of brilliant greens before the turn of the season.

Image size: 8" x 8", unframed
Executed in oil on archival canvas panel

Available for purchase direclty through me on my website (using Paypal) or through my Etsy site.

Sierra's Radiant Aspens

I’m an avid hiking as well as an artist. Therefore I follow many art and artist’s blogs as well as hiking and outdoor blogs. I’ve recently started following Lady on a Rock. It’s a great blog about hiking and the author is also a teacher who is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in segments. Hiking a thru-trail such as the PCT or Appalachian Trail (AT) is a dream/goal of mine. But first on my bucket list, and much more manageable, will probably be the Wonderland Trail in Washington (93 miles) and the Tahoe Rim Trail (165 miles).

Anyway, Lady on a Rock created a beautiful photo slide show and video of the Eastern Sierras for a recent post entitled Falling for Fall. I was so inspired by her lovely images that I asked her if I could use some of them as inspiration for a painting and she graciously agreed. Over the weekend I painted this 8 x 10 study based on one of her photos. I think it captures the radiant glow of autumn nicely. It’s available here or on my Etsy page.

Autumn Aspens

Aspens in their fall glory. Availble here or on my DailyPaintworks site.

Aspens of Inner Basin ACEO

Aspens of Inner Basin is a mini painting - an ACEO, which stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals (aka artist trading cards). This is an original oil on canvas paper with a 1/2 inch border for easy matting and framing. I painted this after a hike on the Inner Basin Trail in northern Arizona - in the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff.

Aspen Hill ACEO

Aspen Hill is another mini painting - an ACEO, which stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals (aka artist trading cards). This is an original oil on canvas paper with a 1/2 inch border for easy matting and framing. I painted this after a late afternoon hike descending the Inner Basin Trail in northern Arizona - in the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff.

First Glimpse of Fall

A few weeks ago we went hiking along the Inner Basin Trail in the San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff, AZ. These were the first aspen leaves turning gold. Our first glimpse of fall.

Inner Basin Trail ACEO

This mini painting is of the Inner Basin Trail in the San Francisco Peaks area near Flagstaff, Arizona. The trail had been closed for several years due to the Schultz fire, but was recently reopened. We hiked the trail the weekend it reopened to find the aspens as beautiful as ever! This ACEO (art cards, editions, and orginals), also known as artist trading cards is painted on canvas paper with a 1/2 inch border to allow for easy matting and framing. It is up for auction on my DailyPaintworks site.

Winter Aspens

A peaceful winter moment in an aspen forest.

Aspen Grove ACEO

I painted another mini - ACEO over the weekend, this one is of an aspen grove.



2.5" x 3.5" ACEO (Art Card Edition and Original) original executed in oil on canvas paper with 1/2 inch white border for easy matting and framing.

New mini paintings

Over this past holiday weekend, I painted a couple minis - ACEO paintings. ACEO stands for Art Card, Editions and Originals - basically art trading cards. They are 2.5 x 3.5 inches with a .5 inch white border painted in oil on gesso coated canvas paper. I'm pleased they both have already sold on my Etsy website. Many thanks to my two newest collectors!

Aspen Trio ACEO

Indian Springs Trail ACEO

Aspens in Greer

This is a small painting of an aspen forest along side a forest service road near Greer, Arizona. Greer is an alpine area in eastern Arizona at around 9,000 ft elevation.

Summer Shades

During a mid summer hike along Abineau trail on the north slope of San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff, Arizona the aspens provide cool shade and and the sound of soft rustling leaves.

Sunny Dell

Sunny Dell

I finished another 6 x 6 in my aspens series. This one is called Sunny Dell and it is inspired by the inner basin of Arizona's San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff. It is available on my Etsy site.

Brotherhood

Brotherhood

I dipicted this aspen clone, or brotherhood, using vibrant broken color to give a rich density to this small 4 x 6 painting. It is available for on my Etsy site.

Presiding Aspen

Presiding Aspen

SOLD

A mature aspen presides over its aspen forest! This is another painting in my small aspen series of 6 x 6 paintings. I have it up for auction on my daily paintworks site.

Glade in Aspen Forest

This is another in my 6 x 6 aspen series and is up for auction here.

Special Recognition

Aspen View

I am pleased to announce that my painting "Aspen View" received Special Recognition in the Februray Light Space & Time online gallery painting competition themed "Landscapes".

Aspen Path

Aspen Path

Another in my 6 x 6 aspen series. I continue to be inspired by aspen trees. I really enjoy the many colors and reflective light within the tree trunks. I picked up several archival quality panels from RayMarArt and this is painted on one of them. This one is up for auction on my Daily Paintworks site. Click here to bid.

Aspen Duo

Aspen Duo

Another in my aspens series. This 6 x 6 is a summer scene along the Kachina Trail near Flagstaff, Arizona looking out from this lovely aspen duo. Available for $75, click here to buy.

Fallen Aspen

Fallen Aspen, 6 x 6, oil

I recently joined Art League West and at last night's meeting I won third place in the monthly challenge. The challenge was a 6 x 6 with an Arizona theme. Fallen Aspen derives from a hike along the Kachina Trail near Flagstaff, Arizona. I have already sold this piece but am inspired to paint a series of small paintings with one of my favorite subjects - aspen trees!