10" x 8" Oil on Panel |
There's a trail I walk from time to time that leads along the base of the mountains by town. At one point along the trail I can look up the mountainside and see this tree, my attention drawn by it's unusual shape. One day I finally decided to haul myself, and some painting gear, up the steep mountainside for a painting. The way was not only steep, but the ground was not very stable, making footing less secure. The tree was farther than I realized, so the climb took longer than I thought it would. Eventually I reached the juniper tree and the limestone cliff it was growing out of, and made this painting.
There was some wildlife I enjoyed seeing as I hiked up the mountainside and also along the way back down. Three vultures were winging about the area as I climbed, and later as I descended I crossed paths with some chukar partridges and a heard of mule deer. It's always a nice bonus when oil painting combines with nature watching!