If You Don't Live Near a Forest be Greatful!

 "Grand Canyon Yellowstone" 9 x 12 in.

Today was probably the worst air quality day I have ever experienced in Idaho. There is so much smoke and pollution in the air right now it's not even healthy to breath.  Fire season has hit Idaho's forests pretty hard  and it's really gotten bad of late.  I think the trade winds must have blown all the smoke into the valley and the sun is a eery orange ball in the sky.  Top that off with 95 degrees and it pretty much sucks out.

Having said all that I haven ventured outside to do anything, let alone paint.  So I did a studio version from a photo of a recent trip to Yellowstone.

If you live someplace where the air isn't going to give you lung cancer consider yourself  lucky!

Hanging in a Moment

 "Kanab Moment" 9 x 12 in.

One of the great things about being a painter is capturing fleeting moments.  Capturing certain moments in time that will only last for a few precious minutes is quite a challenge but it is extremely rewarding when you do.

On a recent trip to Arizona, I had the good fortune of passing through southern Utah. I was driving through Kanab as the sun was setting and there were paintings everywhere I looked.  When I rounded a corner I came across this scene and it just screamed "paint me!".  I knew I literally had about 3 minutes of light before this scene was gone so I snapped a photo and just hung in the moment as the light faded.  

Kanab, UT

I then completed the above painting from memory and the photo reference.  Sometimes it's easier to capture fleeting moments from memory rather the race the fading light in plein air.  With paintings like this, the goals is to let the viewer hang in the moment with you.