I strove to express the unique ambience of that brief magic hour when the colors of the landscape become more intense and vivid. Sometimes some hues seem to only last minutes, maybe less. But they sure make an impression that can often last a lifetime.
Right around the Summer Solstice, the weather warms up in the high country, the meadows green up and begin to be blanketed by colorful wildflowers. The surrounding mountains are lush and green and full of life.
This painting is inspired by a beaming, setting sun in the mountains. I love that brief magic hour when the colors of the landscape become more intense and vivid. The atmosphere is just right to intensify all the hues, not just in the sky but in the landscape itself.
The atmosphere is just right to intensify all the colors and momentarily make the landscape feel like its ablaze with warmth and color, creating a nearly unreal landscape. Yet those who spend a lot of time in the mountains may have been lucky enough to witness such a phenomenon. And if you have not seen a similar scene in person, I hope that it inspires you to seek it out.
This painting is inspired by a calm evening in the mountains. It is set in a mountain meadow where pink paintbrush flowers are abundant. Its magic hour time, the sun is just setting and the landscape is illuminated. The vivid colors in the sky beautifully compliment the colorful and abundant wildflower-field set against the glowing, purple mountains.
At the beginning of this year I began a new series of small paintings: 6″x8″, 6″x12″ and 8″x10″. These are the first 5 of the group. I plan to paint another 6-9 for this series. Then I’ll choose a group to display at a local gallery here in Pagosa Springs.
This painting was inspired by clear nights in remote mountain environments where the sky is filled with infinite stars.