Summer Travels
 	 
   

   

 
 

 	 
In keeping with the mantra 'Exploration begets Inspiration'...I just
returned from a couple of painting trips, one to the Tetons for the the
Rocky Mountain Plein Air Painters annual show, and the other was the
BAPA Summer Hut Trip. Both were a blast for different reasons.
The Wyoming trip began with a two-day drive (16 hours, car camping on
the way)  right through the heart of Utah. I took a lot of back roads
to avoid the freeway, staying mostly on 89, and it was breathtaking all
the way. I've always enjoyed long road trips. It gives one time to
really think without the usual daily distractions. Once I arrived in
Wilson, about six miles from Jackson Wyoming, I got settled into my
guest cabin, graciously provided by my hosts Amy and Steve Unfried who
have a beautiful home next door including a sweet studio for Amy who is
a sculptor. Nearly every evening I would see moose on the property.
I was there nearly two weeks and each day started about 5am, so that I
could drive out to my painting spots each day in time for the 6:15
sunrise. These morning paintings turned out to be some of my best, as
nearly every afternoon it clouded up and sometimes rained. The scenery
in Teton National Park is of course awesome, but the biting flies were
fierce at times and tested my resolve.  I refused to retreat. The other
wildlife was incredible. In addition to moose all over the place, I saw
a fair number of elk, buffalo, some pronghorn, a black bear, eagles and
hawks and, while hiking up to some waterfalls one afternoon, there was
a fox sitting on a large rock, just watching me. The days were long,
and I often painted until after 9 pm.
It wasn't all work though. Last year while on the back side of the
Tetons, I mountain biked a bit in Idaho. So this year I took a couple
of afternoons off and went riding with some friends. Dave Hensel (whose
wife Julie puts on the Driggs Plein Air event, they hosted me last
summer) took me on a very fun ride on the Jackson side of the
mountains. We shuttled to near the top, then climbed for a short while,
which was followed by nearly an hour of really fun downhill riding
through the woods back to Wilson. I also did two rides with artists
extraordinaire Bart Walker and Scott T. Powers through some beautiful
mountain country on the Idaho side of the Tetons.
After the Wyoming trip, I was home for a couple weeks and then off to
Colorado. I stayed for a week in Salida at the home of artist Joshua
Been. He and his wife recently had their second daughter. The first
three days we went to 'Francies Cabin' near Breckenridge. The cabin is
operated by the 10th Mountain Division and sits about 11,000 feet in
the mountains. About a dozen artists converged there, and we painted
and told lies and had a blast. One day Josh, Amery Bohling and I hiked
over to the next basin, up high past a large waterfall to the Mohawk
Lakes. These turned out to be some of the most beautiful alpine lakes
I've seen yet. It was a magical day complete with friendly mountain
goats all around us.
After the hut trip, Josh and I returned to Salida where we painted
every day and went mountain biking a couple of times. One bike trip was
the Monarch Crest Trail, nearly 25 miles of rugged terrain mostly above
tree line. I struggled as there was a lot of climbing at that altitude.
( It was the altitude, not my age or ability. That's my story and I'm
sticking to it). Actually I felt I did pretty well overall. Did I
mention there was a lot of climbing? The views made it all worthwhile,
and the downhill sections were long, fast and fun.
I have some photos from these adventures on my Facebook page
  if you're interested. Some of
the baby goats are pretty darn cute.
Museum news - on June 21, the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff
hosted their annual Gala/Auction/Dinner. My painting "River of Glass",
a 36"x 24" painting of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon sold for
$12,000. Woo hoo.
Speaking of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, next year's artist
trip has been announced by the Sedona Arts Center. This will be an
8-day rafting trip May 6 - 13, 2015. We always have an incredible trip,
with lots of photos and paintings and adventure. Consider joining us!
Contact me for details at [email protected]
  
Hard to believe, but it's only a few weeks now until the Grand Canyon
Plein Air Event, (September 12-21 at Kolb Studio on the South Rim).
Hope to see you there.
As always, I have some great new pieces in the studio. Come on by and
see for yourself if you can make it to Jerome.  Many of my new
landscapes are posted here on my website.
   Let me know if you see
something that might look great on your walls.


Koya Klips

 

What do you mean, too many toys? Not possible..... It's raining out,
hold me daddy.
   

 
 

 	 
CodyDeLong.com