Impression Evergreen

The ranch It’s a smoky dusk in western Nebraska and as the spectral light begins to dissipate, the checklist of laborious chores comes to completion. Life on the ranch is hard as illustrated by battered grain bins and ragged hay bales but at least it’s not winter when the weather is brutal. The rhythm of life revolves around the horse as this beast of burden is indispensable to running a successful cattle ranch. This important work animal must be properly cared for from head to hoof, attending to its nutrition, hygiene and exercise. Weathered boots adorn the fence posts, signifying the passage of another tough year while the smoldering, prairie sunset marks the conclusion of summer. As darkness descends on the home place, the work day comes to an end and the peacocks go to roost.  The horse is indispensable Peacocks go to roost Ragged hay bales Prairie sunset A hard life Life revolves around the horse

The Gazebo Boardwalk at Barr Lake Bald Eagles nest and breed in the North but in the fall many of them migrate south and inland searching for a milder climate. They prefer to spend the winter months in tall trees near a large body of open water where they can survive on fresh fish. Barr Lake is the perfect haven for these majestic birds of prey as they flock to this oasis on the eastern plains more than one hundred strong. Since it is the non-breeding season, the eagles are more tolerant of human incursion into their habitat, allowing you to catch a glimpse of what their life is really like. Surrounding the reservoir, a barren forest of writhing, twisted, tortured cottonwoods is the perfect place for the birds to perch and gaze down upon their awesome domain. They are built to withstand the cold but on the chilliest days, they remain motionless on the tallest treetops. When the weather warms, the eagles become more active and social and that is when their entertaining antics...

"Evergreen Overlook" Colored Pencil Out of all of the drawings I’ve ever done, this is one of my favorites. An ambitious project, the composition is larger than usual for me so it took a tremendous amount of time and patience to complete. It was deeply influenced by master artists such as Benton, Kent and O’Keeffe. The arrangement was thoughtfully simplified in order to capture the essence of our mountain corridor called Evergreen, Colorado. From the southern slopes of Genesee Mountain, the Front Range foothills are carefully unfurled. Filled with smooth gradations, the billowing landscape is shaded like a piece of wrinkled clothing. The verdant mountains get gradually lighter and bluer as they recede into the distance. Crowning the rugged skyline, the snowy Mount Evans Massive is partially obscured by low-lying clouds. The dead ponderosa pine is the focal point as a halo of reflected light glows against the darkest passage. The skeletal structure of the red snag...

The old, stone house Deep in the sandhills of western Nebraska, the old stone house is ruined. It's settled in a secluded valley, serving as a crumbling reminder of days gone by. One can only imagine what it must have been like during its heyday. Maybe a peaceful retreat far from the bustle of city life as the nearest town was across the river bridge some ten miles away. It was probably a difficult life dominated by the region's circulation of seasonal weather patterns. The summer sun was searing and the winter storms were brutal. Raising cattle was the only way to make a living with lush prairie grasses supplying the perfect subsistence for the grazing herd. A deep well was dug and capped with a windmill that poured precious water into a rock-hewn tank. Wooden planks and posts are scattered across the yard, indicating where the horses were once corralled. Out back in a ravine filled with purple wildflowers, a now rusted pickup would have been a more modern mode of...

"Evening Light Evergreen" Colored Pencil "Through art we can change the world." ~ #twitterartexhibit Regal elk graze peacefully in a rolling meadow near Evergreen, Colorado. Evening light infuses the landscape with a golden hue befitting this heavenly kingdom. It's fall so long shadows form undulating lines across the yellow field. Stately ponderosa pine swirl towards the cerulean sky, trying to soak in the sun's last rays. In the background, a ring of soft blue peaks enhances an already elegant atmosphere. It's such a simple scene but it means so much to me. After years of searching while on a never-ending quest, I feel like I've traveled a million miles. I truly believe this place is where I belong. I'm lucky, this is home. Evening Light Evergreen is my contribution to the upcoming Twitter Art Exhibit: Moss . This unique event is an international exhibition of original postcard art benefiting Home-Start Moss, a nonprofit organizat...

"Courthouse and Jail Rocks" Acrylic It's a breezy, spring day in Western Nebraska. Courthouse and Jail Rocks tower above the open prairie. A row of stately cottonwoods traces the winding course of Pumpkin Creek while a field of fresh hay slices through rugged pastureland. The fiery foreground is accented by glittering, silver sagebrush. The cloudless sky is a deep blue as the unusual formation appears golden in the evening light and dark shadows define the bold geography. The steep south face is terraced like a Sumerian ziggurat and descends into a labyrinth of mysterious corridors, caves, tunnels and rattlesnake pits. Composed of Brule clay, Gering sandstone and ash, the rocks are erosional remnants of an ancient plateau formed by volcanic activity thousands of years ago. Later, they became an unforgettable natural landmark that guided emigrants during the 19th century's Westward Expansion . Back then, just passing near the monument offered hope to weary p...

Courthouse and Jail House Rocks Located just south of Bridgeport in the panhandle of Nebraska at the eastern terminus of the Wildcat Hills, Courthouse and Jail House Rocks ascend 400 feet above the North Platte River Valley. For me, the rocks are an enduring symbol of the pioneer spirit, hope and home. During the Westward Expansion , they were a famous landmark as the Oregon, California, Mormon, Pony Express and Sidney-Deadwood trails all ran near the geographical marvels. The formation was first noted by Robert Stuart in 1812. From a far distance, he observed a solitary tower rising out of the open prairie. Only upon closer inspection did he discover there were actually two. Stuart thought the larger feature looked like a courthouse, while the smaller a jail. Locals originally began calling the place McFarlan's Castle while passerbys referred to them as the Lonely Tower, the Castle or the Capitol. By 1837, the name Courthouse and Jail Rocks had stuck. During the 19th cent...

Wild Iris Loop It's a warm, winter day at the Alderfer Open Space. The tranquil hike is a regular walk in the park. Eastward, long shadows are cast toward a trio of rocky crags while puffy white clouds drift across a clear blue sky. Known as the Three Sisters, the local landmark is gleaming in the golden light. The evening's events are routine. Black crows gather in the yellow stubble while a herd of wary deer emerge from the dark forest. In the summer, this place is a lively meadow full of riotous wildflowers. In March, it's a bowl of broiling, back-built maelstroms that bury the foothills in heaps of heavy snow. Out for a lovely stroll, everything in my little world is just fine until suddenly the landscape changes. My peaceful promenade is interrupted by a disruptive squall of winter stew. Heavy clouds descend onto the scene and the panorama of sweeping, white peaks melts into the gray firmament. Caught in an eerie forest of lodgepole pine, the murky dusk gets...