Telluride Plein Air- Day Six

The Hidden Pond

12 x 24 triptych

Last year as we were driving out of Telluride I noticed a small pond set back from the road and screened by a stand of aspens. I managed to get Steve to stop and find a small turn off which took us back behind the pond. That was the photo I posted earlier this week. Here is the piece I completed this year at that spot. Although it hasn't found a home yet (several others did today though!) , there has been a good deal of interest. Tomorrow is the second and last day of the public sale.

Tomorrow is the big 4th of July bash in Telluride. For a tiny town, Telluride does the 4th right. Almost every house in town is festooned with flags as are all the street lamps. About 8,000 visitors will crowd into this small town nestled at the end of a box canyon for a good old fashioned home grown parade. All veterans whether residents or visitors are invited to walk in the parade (Steve will walk in the parade again this year, USMC 1967-69). Right as the parade gets underway, two F-16s come screaming down the valley from the west , flying right over Main Street and then bank up and away over the San Juans. Later, the fire department hosts a huge barbeque and spectacular fireworks at the town park. Its a great place to spend the 4th and to say Happy Birthday America!

Telluride Plein Air - Day 5

Last Light on the San Miguel
12 x 20
Sold

The San Miguel River flows out of the San Juan Mountains through the Telluride valley and joins the Delores River 72 miles downstream. There are many pull offs along the banks as well as a river trail in Telluride itself. I painted it last year twice and knew I would want to do so again this year. Unfortunately, I was unable to get a good image of the painting- the last glaze was not dry yet and so I have glare.

Today is a busy day. We will turn in our auction piece at 10AM (I'm using this one), then the Quick Draw starts at 10:30. This is a 90 minute event along Main Street where each artist will produce a small painting which will be for sale immediately after the Quick Draw. Tonight is the Collector's Cocktail Party and Silent Auction. Each artist picks his or her favorite piece for this auction and the artists also vote for the Artists Choice award ($1000)

Telluride Plein Air- Day 4

Fishing at Lizard Head Pass

10 x 12

Lizard Head Pass (10,222 ft.) is about 12 miles south of Telluride. The day I went there started out sunny but weather in the pass can change quickly . I was just finishing up my under painting when a storm started to roll in from the southwest. I was packing up to go when a car pulled over at the pull out where I was parked. This fisherman got out and proceeded down to the stream. I thought he provided the perfect bit of scale for this immense landscape.

Gone Painting

On Friday I am heading out to the Telluride Plein Air Invitational. Telluride - an historic mining town located in a box canyon in the heart of the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado - is now a trendy destination in both winter and summer months. The town holds a huge 4th of July celebration each year complete with an old fashioned parade with homemade floats and a flyover by F16 jets and World War I biplanes, and Norman Schwarzkopf as the Master of Ceremonies (he has a second home there). A few years ago, the Sheridan Opera Foundation decided to add a plein air event to the festivities. Thirty artists from across the country are invited to Telluride to paint for a week, followed by a collectors auction and a public sale. This will be my third year participating in this show.

So, right now I'm busy getting organized (painting supplies, frames, canvases, easel, etc), and packing, and doing laundry, and making lists for my husband. Friday I'll do a 12 hour power drive to Santa Fe and spend the night with friends, then drive on to Telluride on Saturday. I am taking my laptop so I plan to post while I am there. Until then...