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.
