Hiking and Painting

7" x 5" oil on Panel

All throughout my life I've enjoyed going for hikes into wild country, whether it's forest, desert or mountains. I'm so glad that I live in a place, and my health is good enough, that I can continue to hit the trail for all day excursions. Likewise I've enjoyed drawing for probably my whole life, and am so happy I've been able to develop that into painting. It's wonderful that people enjoy my work and are willing to purchase my paintings from galleries and shows.

For a long time I've wanted to combine those two interests, hiking and painting, but usually find myself doing one or the other, not both at the same time. Much of the plein air painting equipment I've built for myself is sturdy but light, and easily carried. However, the vast majority of my plein air paintings are done either close to my car, or only a quarter mile to a mile away from the car.

Last Saturday I finally put the two things, hiking and painting, together when I took my little 5" x 7" pochade box on a hike up a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains.The hike started in the early afternoon at the mouth of the canyon. A few miles and a few thousand feet in gained elevation later, I finally decided on a spot to set up and paint. Though the day had begun with clear blue skies, by the time I'd reached the upper part of the canyon a general overcast had moved in. Grey skies dulled the mountain vistas I had hoped to paint, so instead I chose a small stand of aspen trees near the edge of a meadow. The little oil study didn't take very long, and was finished around sunset. My hike back down the canyon to the trail head was made after dark. The little oil study from that day can be seen at the beginning of this post.

Utah County Plein Air Art Show

16" x 20" Oil on Panel

This Friday, August 3rd, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, is the opening for the Utah County Plein Air Art Show, sponsored by the Utah County Arts Board. The exhibit will be at the Utah County Health and Justice Building, 151 South University Ave, Provo, Utah. The show is free and will be up until the 25th of August.

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

Shown here are the two paintings I did for the show, One painted west of Springville, and the other west of Provo. All paintings in the show are for sale. This is the first plein air event for the UCAB. It's a relatively small show, but I believe it's well worth supporting. The Utah Valley area really ought to have it's own plein air event. Besides, as the event becomes larger and more successful, I'll be able to say, "I was at the first one!" 

Come out and see the exhibit, and if you see any paintings you really like and want, you can buy them! For more information about the Utah County Art Board, click here.

If you have the opportunity, you can see more of my paintings in person at these galleries::
In Salt Lake City: http://www.evergreengallery.com/
In Logan, Utah: http://loganfineartgallery.com/
In Ivins, Utah: https://www.facebook.com/juniperskyfineartgallery/

Today's Painting, and a New Plein Air Event!

9" x 12" Oil on Panel

Went back to the Spanish Fork River Trail, and out into the mid summer heat, for this painting. Colors used were cadmium yellow lemon, cadmium yellow, yellow ochre, cadmium red, thio violet, cobalt blue, ultramarine blue, and thalo green, plus titanium white.

I learned recently that the Utah County Art Board is putting on a plein air event. I understand this is the first time the UCAB has held a plein air event. I don't know how well attended it'll be, but it's high time someone held such an event, and it ought to be well attended! I think I'll give it a go!

Painting for the event begins this Saturday, with finished works being turned in the following Saturday morning. The show opens to the public the first Friday evening of August and runs through most of the month. The show will be at 151 South University Ave, Provo, Utah. For more information, visit their website at http://www.utahcountyart.com/

First Hike of Summer 2018

Beginning the Hike

My hike started in the mouth of a canyon where the Rocky Mountains meet Basin and Range. The altitude of the trailhead is around 4700 feet above sea level. It was early afternoon, and the day was warm with mild breezes, and only a few small scattered clouds. Good hikes can be had in a many kinds of weather, but this was particularly good weather for a hike.

A Little Ways up the Trail

This is one of my favorite trails. It's the first mountain canyon I ever hiked in back in 1982 when I first visited this area. The canyon continues to provide good hiking experiences in all seasons. For more pictures of this canyon, you can visit this post from two years ago.

Roots

The lower end of the canyon is more desert-like than other parts of the trail. Every once in a while a small lizard or skink would dart across the trail ahead of me.

Looking Back

The character of the canyon changes as the trail gains altitude. Drier below, it becomes greener higher up. There's a noticeable temperature difference between the lower and upper parts of the trail.

Dense Greenery

Around halfway up the canyon rocky mountain maple and box elder trees crowd the trail. The close foliage can give the impression of being in a forest, but the deciduous thickets only line the narrow bottom of the canyon. Occasional views up through the canopy reveal mostly juniper, cliff rose, and towering evergreen trees standing singly or in scattered stands. Huge cliffs and outcrops dominate the canyon sides.

Looking South Toward Corral Mountain

I reach the top of the canyon trail and take the left fork, heading north. The trail winds through stands of maple trees, then aspen groves. The trail also passes through meadows, providing great views of the surrounding mountains. Summer breezes cause the aspen leaves to whisper and shimmer in the sunlight.

Provo Peak

This section of trail rises a thousand feet, from about 7200 feet to 8200 feet above sea level. I see a few deer scattered throughout this area, their red coats standing out against the forest greenery.

Yet Another Rubber Boa

Just below the 8200' pass I come across what looks like a huge earthworm on the dirt trail. It's a kind of snake called a rubber boa. I've yet to find anyone who knows what I'm talking about when I mention to them about rubber boas. Even avid outdoor hikers I know have never seen nor heard of them, yet I come across rubber boas almost regularly on my summer hikes, and in several of the local canyons. I've posted about them before on this blog. On this hike I gently pick up the rubber boa and move it off the trail lest some unobservant hiker come along and carelessly tread on the snake.

Cascade Mountain

At the pass I turn right onto another trail, heading east. Parts of the trail run through open country, providing great views of towering mountains. If majestic is a term that applies to mountains, how can it ever be applied to mortal kings and queens? I don't care how lavish their palaces, how fancy their carriages, or how dazzling their crowns, mere royalty doesn't measure up to the majesty of these mountains! Silly though it might seem, the grand scenery surrounding the trail occasionally caused me to whisper in awe, simply, "Oh, wow!"

Columbines

This segment of trail travels around the north side of a mountain and passes through large stands of tall evergreen trees. The trees provide cool shade to the forest floor. The understory is only about knee high or so, with abundant white columbine flowers scattered throughout. Red squirrels and woodpeckers are common in these woods.

Provo Peak

The trail crosses a stony ridge at about 8700 feet, and here I stop to eat and rest before heading back. Directly east of this overlook is a mountain which towers to over 11,000 feet in altitude. A gibbous moon rises above the ridge line. The air where I rest is mild, almost cool, and the sunlight feels pleasantly warm on my back.

A Snack Before the Hike Back

Next time I'll bring more food. The packaging on the fig bars I ate tout two servings per package, yet I was still hungry after eating all I had brought. The water bottle was filled with cold water from a spring a mile or so back down the trail, and was so refreshing. After a while it was time to return. A desire to stay tugged at me as I headed back. As I descended the trail, the air grew warmer even as the evening sky became darker. It was almost ten o'clock by the time I reached the trailhead.

Here's another post with pictures from this and another nearby canyon.

A View of Timp

18" x 24" Oil on Panel

Took a break from Spanish Fork for a day and went to Heber Valley to paint. This was painted near Midway. The view is looking across ranch land to the back of Mount Timpanogos. 

Painted out of the Big Box today!

It's kind of important for me to know which way the wind is blowing when I go paint along the dirt roads in this area. Then I can set up on the side of the road that gets less dust from passing cars and trucks, so I eat less dust while I work. It's just one of the little challenges of plein air painting.

Spanish Fork Hay Field

9" x 12" Oil on Panel

There's something kind of mesmerizing about a field of fresh cut hay. There's the rhythm of hay rows as they appear to converge at the distant edge of the field. Then there's the contrast between the dark, cool-green of cut hay and the paler, warmer tone of field stubble between the hay rows. I enjoy painting them and feel fortunate when I find a hay field at just the right time. Other things factor into successfully painting a hay field, of course. I think things came together for this little painting.

There were a couple challenges involved in painting this scene. It's the time of year when cottonwood trees are shedding massive amounts of fluffy seeds. Those seeds readily stick to wet oil paint, and that can be a problem. There were a couple big cottonwoods close to where I had set up my paint box. When breezes came along those trees shed seeds in my direction in such abundance that it appeared to be snowing. The cottonwood flurries contained not only individual seeds but also big clumps of seeds that are even worse for a painting. Shielding the paint box and using a wet brush to intercept large clumps of seeds that came too close to the painting worked for the most part. Still a seed or two got onto the painting, but not enough to cause a fuzzy or lumpy painting. Little bits of nature in the paint are always part of the plein air experience, anyway.

A mile or two away a thick column of smoke rose, and began to spread. Shortly after, sirens of emergency vehicles could be heard. The smoke grew and spread, coming between me and the sun, which cast a gray smoky pall over the scene I was painting. Later I learned that a farmer had decided to burn some rubbish in a field. The fire had gotten away from him and burned five acres. Luckily, by that time my painting had progressed to a point where the smoky haze didn't affect it.

My paintings can be seen at these galleries:
In Salt Lake City: http://www.evergreengallery.com/
In Logan, Utah: http://loganfineartgallery.com/
In Ivins, Utah: https://www.facebook.com/juniperskyfineartgallery/

Summer Cottonwood Copse

11" x 14" Oil on Panel

For this painting, it was back to the Spanish Fork River trail. Technically, it's still a couple weeks or so until the official start of summer, but the weather isn't waiting. It was quite warm the day I painted this, and scattered clouds grew into thunderheads over the mountains. That didn't interfere with painting, though, and I was able to make the piece shown above. I'm happy I found this place. Plans are, I'll be spending more time painting in this area.

Fyi, if you ever want to see any of my paintings in person, you can find them at these galleries:

     In Salt Lake City: http://www.evergreengallery.com/
     In Logan, Utah: http://loganfineartgallery.com/
     In Ivins, Utah: https://www.facebook.com/juniperskyfineartgallery/