This plein air landscape is of Anne White Trail in Boulder County. It is such a lovely peaceful spot that it is irresistable, although I do worry about running into a mountail lion up there.
I was out early today - on location and painting by 7 am. The morning light was absolutely luminous. We had rain last week, so the grass hay is looking very happy. This little farm used to have a large herd of horses, but it was sold recently and is sitting empty, the lush green grass ungrazed. My horse would consider this a criminal waste of photosynthesis.
This painting is symbolic for what is going on in my life right now. I just lost my job teaching painting and drawing at a private classical atelier. It was a very acrimonious parting of the ways, caused by the fact that the school is having serious financial difficulties and is unable to pay its faculty. I decided that rather than look for another teaching position I would focus exclusively on creating my own art and marketing it. This painting was done at sunrise on the first day of my new "job" - being free to paint full time is like a new dawn for me - who knows what the day will bring.
I grew up in Africa, and I am most interested in depicting African subject matter. I am a classically trained artist (translation: heavy on anatomy, perspective, and understanding value) working in encaustics, oil, watercolor, and various drawing media. I teach drawing and painting in Boulder, Colorado. I am committed to the "painting a day" habit because it is a no excuses road to "being" a painter. Painting all day all the time is now my lifestyle.