San Juan Summer

San Juan Summer

As I mentioned in last week's post, the closer ridges needed more color and detail.
Here I have done that 

The sky was done in two washes.  First I wet the whole sky area, turned the
painting upside down and tilted it slightly so the paint would run toward the
top of the painting.  I dropped in cerulean blue, and a mixture of ultramarine and
permanent rose .  After that was dry, I rubbed off the frisket that was protecting the
flowers.  I put in more detail in the blossoms and added a couple more.
Then wetting the sky area again, I added a little more color in a couple of areas.

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Remember this one?  The foreground was my dilema.  So after much thought I decided
to add a wash of the sky color in the center band of the foreground to
hopefully tie the piece together.  Did it work?

Back to Painting

Clearing My Head

Red Mountain 1,  from Gray Copper Gulch

Mountains Make Me Whole

I run to the mountains when my head needs clearing

When my heart needs healing

When my body needs working

Hiking to Columbine Lake, 12,500'

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions....

This is where my latest painting stands at the moment.  What I am wondering is,
does the foreground need more than just some wildflowers, like....

a tree, perhaps, but I am not sure I like that...
How about this option...

less foreground,  with more detail and flowers .  Then, what about the sky?
Decisions, decisions, decisions.
I think I will go hiking and ponder all these options :-)

"Rainbows and Lollipops

"Rainbows, Lollipops, and..."  The monsoons have arrived much to our relief.  The showers are scattered, so not all of the western slope of Colorado is feeling the relief as much as we are, but every drop helps.  

My current painting is of a view of Red Mountains 1 & 2 from Black Bear Pass Road.  I have tried painting a similar view before and failed miserably.  Hopefully this time will be "Rainbows and Lollipops"    

Red Mountain 1 &2 from Black Bear Pass
Reference photo I took last year

After sketching, I laid in a light wash wet in wet for the distant ridge

My second wet in wet application was a light wash on the Red Mountains
I also used some masking fluid in the foreground to save some flowers

Next came a light wash of green  and another of yellow in the foreground,
There is also a blue/green wash on the right that will be distant trees

Here I have added more blue/green for additional distant trees, as well as some shadow
on the distant ridge

Additional washes on the distant ridges,  another wash of reds and oranges on the Red
Mountains, another wash on the closer trees

This is where the painting stands currently.  Hopefully the continuation will be
successful.  Check in next week.  :-)  Thanks!

"Mountain Treasure"  was inspired by several trips both on foot and by 4 Wheel drive vehicle up the Corkscrew Gulch which is a wonderfully colorful journey into Colorado's past. 


"Here along the Corkscrew Gulch  Near a mountain known as Red,  Sags a cabin built back when,  By a miner long since dead." 


I first traveled this road back in the 70's.  At that time this cabin still had a roof, tho it was sagging badly.  The years and heavy snows have taken their toll on this old cabin which makes me realize that they have probably taken a toll on me as well.  "Though its days are numbered,  As the years take their toll,  It still represents the dreams and grit  Of those old hardy souls." 


 But as long as I am still able to walk, photograph and paint, I will continue to explore these mountains for they "own many treasures,  The least of which is gold,  And many wander the old roads  Seeking the wealth they hold." 

Welcome to my new web site/blog.  It has been a very frustrating process to move from IWeb to Blogger and ICloud, but with the help of my husband, Mark and Eric from Apple,  I have (knock on wood) made the transition.  


The web site is still a work in progress, as is the latest painting shown above.  You will need to re bookmark even though the web address is the same:  www.bobbiejohnsonart.com.  


Thanks for your continued interest.