Blog

Well, it seems like Fall has fallen. Just in time for the calendar to say it’s the beginning of Fall too. Timing was pretty good if you ask me. I can smell it in the air. A little cooler and crisper in the morning. Warm in the sun and cool in the shade. A little dusting of snow on the peaks.

Spent a couple of days up on the Uncompahgre Plateau getting our last load of firewood. Colors were just starting to pop a little up there. I was going to do a painting while I was there but got caught up with sitting around the campfire solving the world’s problems. 

While I’m sorry to see summer pass on, I don’t mind the fall at all. It’s a great time of year for a landscape artist what with all of the aspen turning color. 

Days are getting shorter so that means it gets lighter a little later in the morning which is fine for me because I don’t have to get up so early to catch that beautiful morning light. I used to be an early riser but these days I sleep in until 6 or 6:30 and drag my feet getting around in the morning. I just don’t see the need to hurry things up that much anymore.

We don’t depend on wood for our heat but I rather like the act of getting wood. The Uncompahgre Plateau has plenty of dead wood just waiting to be cut up and used. We make a camping trip out of it. A little dutch oven cooking. A little plein air painting. Besides, there isn’t anything nicer than cuddling up to a wood stove on a cold winter’s day.

We do a fair amount of cooking over an open fire when we are out camping. Not that we have to but we like it.  Food cooked over an open fire always seems to taste better for some reason. Maybe it’s the fresh air or the cast iron…or both.

So, back to the fall of the year. Of course color season is big here in Colorado. I’ve got a class coming up the first part of October to celebrate the fall color season. I have so much fun using yellow paint. It’s use seems to be only appropriate for painting aspen leaves in the fall. All convention says you shouldn’t use yellow in paintings. It’s an obnoxious color they say. What do “they” know. Right?

When I was up on the plateau the other day, I stood in awe at some backlit yellow aspen leaves as they shimmered in the breeze. The smell of the air, the rustling of the wind and leaves. It was mesmerizing. I stood there trying to figure out how I could capture that visual and sound in a painting. I gave up in frustration and went back to the game of horseshoes we had going.

Of course this time of year is when hunting season happens. We used to see a lot more hunters in town in years past. I remember back in the beginning, we merchants used to hang banners on our store fronts, “Welcome Hunters”. You don't see that much any more. These times they are a changing I guess. I used to do my share of hunting back in the day but not anymore.

I'm off to Steamboat Springs this Friday for their plein air event at the museum. If you are in the area, come by, or let me know and I'd be happy to meet up with you. I'll let you know how it is going next week.