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Author: Nancy_Rynes, Contributing Editor
| Tom and I were the first to arrive on Wednesday afternoon. The temperature was hovering around freezing but the sun was peeking through the clouds so we thought it couldn’t be all THAT bad. We were both anxious to get outside. Tom headed off on a bike ride and I set up my pochade box on the east-facing deck/patio of the house. The view I wanted to paint was to the east, overlooking the north side of Arches National Park. Not 10 minutes after I set up my pochade box, a winter squall blew down on us from the west. Luckily I was prepared with winter painting gear: snow pants and a parka. I managed to get my 6” x 8” painting done in 40 minutes, but it was probably the “loosest” I’ve ever painted! I just wanted to get back inside the house and warm up so I was motivated to finish quickly. |
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| "Storm over Arches N.P." Oil on canvas, 8"x10" |
| I managed to capture a retreating snowstorm over the red cliffs of Arches with my semi-frozen fingers. Tom came back from his bike ride mildly hypothermic but recovered after a big mug of hot cocoa and a hot shower. The rest of the family arrived shortly thereafter, and we spent a warm evening in the house while the cold winds gusted outside through the night. |
| Thursday morning was cold and sunny. I decided to explore the trail system to the east of the house, so I packed up my painting gear and woke my trusty painting partner, Jake. Tom headed off to the slickrock area south of Moab for some technical biking challenges – way beyond my abilities. Jake and I headed off into the desert on some ATV/mountain bike trails. The area here is mostly rock and sand with scattered sagebrush, juniper, and pinon pine. Desert bighorns, mule deer, jackrabbit, and antelope squirrels (a type of pika) are relatively common. The vistas include the peaks of the La Sals and red rock cliffs and canyons. I found a good spot overlooking some distant cliffs and set to work capturing the morning light. |
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| "Morning in Moab" Oil on Linen, 8"x10" |
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