I spent an afternoon photographing these sandpipers chasing the waves back and forth. They are so cute. They chase the tide as it goes out and then when it comes back in they run as fast as they can to escape the waves. It reminds me of a scene from a Monty Python movie, "Run away, run away!"  Below is a preliminary sketch for a pastel study I am doing of these delightful birds.

The lovely pink sunrise cast a pink glow over the mountainside yesterday morning. I returned from a couple of weeks in Florida to Colorado beauty. 

Mr. and Mrs. Mule Deer continue to gaze reproachfully at me from their canvas. I have not had time to finish them. Too many wonderful things to be doing.  This photograph reminds me of John Denver's song "I've seen it rain and fire in the sky...."

I took this photograph at sunrise yesterday morning. The view is towards the east from my deck. This was the arrival of a front from the north that brought us some snow and very cold temperatures. Perfect weather to do some painting. I have been working on the painting below. My husband took this photograph of a mule deer couple. I love it because it reminds me of a family portrait.  Mr. and Mrs. Mule Deer send you their new year greetings.

I finished three paintings yesterday in a burst of inspiration.  Photographed them so I can post here, and then started fussing with one of the "finished" ones again today. The first one is an 11 x 14 acrylic on a beautiful natural linen canvas that looks homespun. You cannot see it but I am thrilled knowing it is behind the paint! You can go to the archives to see this work in progress. The second is a full watercolor sheet 22 x 30 mixed media (mostly pastel, watercolor background, charcoal and watercolor pencil highlights). The third painting is an acrylic on a 16 x 20 canvas. This was actually a practice painting because I experimented using a thick top coating of gloss gel and wasn't sure how it would turn out.  With proper lighting I think it is gorgeous, but next time will not apply the gel so thickly.  I went back in over the top of the gel with oil pastels and more acrylic. Liked it much better after that and am quite pleased.  It depicts a scene my husband and I came upon on a walk through the mountains near Steamboat Springs, Colorado this past fall. 

Ran into this fellow about a month ago. He was standing in the ponderosa pines accompanied by a large harem.  This is a pastel sketch executed based upon the photograph I took of him. I like the rough quality of the paper showing through. Also like the unusual colors.

While I was trying to figure out how to publish this blog page on my website, I also was able to work some more on the aspen landscape.  I did not advance the painting that much but though it would be interesting for you to see the progression.

New day. Mid way through an aspen landscape (you can never paint too many aspens). Photo below. Finished final coat on another painting (yes, an aspen landscape), soon to be revealed. I experimented with doing a final thick coat of soft gel gloss that I worked into with a palette knife for added texture and then let dry. I'm going to my printer's today to look at the proof scan for this year's Christmas card.

It is time to publish this website to see what it looks like in the internet world even though there remains much work to be done. Sufficient unto the day is the work thereof, or something like that. 
I have often vowed to undertake a painting a day regimen, sitting poised with paper and pastels, to capture in real time the beauty of the sunsets as viewed from my studio windows. This will be at the top of my new year resolutions. For now, here is a photograph taken on this lovely December afternoon in the Rocky Mountains.