Impression Evergreen

The Brook Forest Inn is southwest of Evergreen It was the summer of 1943 near Evergreen, Colorado and the Brook Forest Inn was a luxury resort nestled in a stand of lodgepole pine at the base of Black Mountain. Carl was at work in the nearby livery stable when he learned that his wife, Jessica, had been unfaithful. Jessica also worked at the inn and she was preparing the Monte Carlo Room for that evening's guests. Carl stormed in, confronted her and a violent altercation ensued. Fueled by a jealous rage, Carl strangled Jessica to death. Overcome with guilt, Carl returned to the stable, constructed a rope noose and promptly hung himself. The stunning tragedy shocked the idyllic mountain community. A few years earlier, before the outbreak of World War II, a suspicious group of German tourists checked into the hotel. They claimed to be on a bicycle tour of America. Come to find out, they were actually spies. They used the place as a headquarters while they studied and mapped

Value and color studies for the romance novel cover An aspiring writer asked me if I would be interested in illustrating a book cover. He said he had just finished writing a novel and was working on getting it published. My first thought was I don't have time . I'm a production artist for a printing company by day but my nights are reserved for more fine artistic pursuits. I guess you could call me a "Sunday Painter". Time is precious but I was curious. I asked him what the book was about. He enthusiastically exclaimed, "It's a Romance Novel!" There was a division between the two sides of my brain and they were battling it out. The logical, left side said, "You can't do it! It's too difficult! Don't leave your comfort zone!" The cool, right side responded, "Chill, bro. We got this. Dude, try something exciting and new. It'll be fun." After the dust cleared, I guess surfer guy won because I accepted the commis

"Evergreen Lake Summer" Colored Pencil A cool mountain breeze offers some relief on a warm, summer day at Evergreen Lake. Puffy, white clouds race across the wide, open sky and because the lake is a reflection of the scene above, it translates as clear and blue. A sparkling blue spruce stands guard over the weathered boardwalk and the green grass is starting to turn brown from the scorching sun. Summer is the busiest season at the lake as red-winged blackbirds are nesting, Canada geese are bathing and the cormorants, with wings outstretched, are drying out on the dam. About 100 years ago the dam was built across Bear Creek just above the small town of Evergreen. A lush mountain meadow was flooded, creating the lake visible today. The purpose was two-fold, prevent the annual spring flooding in Bear Creek Canyon and provide a beautiful setting for outdoor recreation. In the summer, the lake provides opportunities for boating, fishing, hiking and birding. Some of my f

"Gore Range Thunderstorm" Colored Pencil A slow moving thunderstorm passes over the jagged Gore Range. The dark mountains seem small compared to the huge, dramatic clouds. A thin slice of Green Mountain Reservoir sparkles in the distance and the foreground shimmers with broken tones of green and violet. It's a beautiful scene. The colors are toned down but the rain makes them clean and fresh. The edges are soft, they become lost in some places and reappear in others. The low key values express a somber mood but I'm happy trying to depict nature's weather effects. We experienced that storm this summer on our way back home from Steamboat. During our approach to Silverthorne, that's the scene we beheld. Because Sunday afternoon traffic on I-70 out of the mountains is a nightmare, we detoured off the main highway. Our first stop was at the Green Mountain Dam, we went out in the rain and explored the interesting structure. Slowly, we made our way down the re