Marble Canyon #1

 We spent most of April at the Lee's Ferry campground at Marble Canyon AZ.

This is an incredible place: the put-in for rafting the Grand Canyon, the historic immigrant ferry across the Colorado River and the Lonely Dell outpost settlement, bordered by the Glen Canyon NRA, the Vermillion Cliffs NM, the Grand Canyon National Park,  and the Paria-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness. 

Painting inspiration abounds. These three pieces are my captured memories.

1) An old - and oft photographed - work truck at the historic Lonely Dell Ranch. Spotted this on a hike into the Paria-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness, and simply could not resist.

2) We had a rare rain one night. The next morning the clouds were lifting over the Vermillion Cliffs. Brief but Spectacular!

3) Marble Canyon itself, looking downstream. This is where River travelers enter the Grand Canyon NP. 

Celebrating Earth Day 2021

Off-Grid at Lee's Ferry campground, Marble Canyon AZ.

This is the put-in for rafting the Grand Canyon, and this is our view.

DIVER'S ED

 Another new painting! 11x17 watercolor on Yupo. This one is a gift for Grandkids Bee & Gabe.

New Zealand Memories

 This is my four New Zealand South Island memories, mounted together on black foamcore. Now to get it secured to the wall above the frig!

New Zealand #4

 I just finished the final painting for our New Zealand South Island memory collection. Sheep graze the hillsides all over the island, a very common scene.

Welcome to my world #3

 Badger Creek cuts a deep, steep side canyon that dumps into the Colorado River below our campground. The cuts in the plateau fascinate me, and the creek still has a little water after a long dry spell.

Jamie has rafted the Grand three times; sadly, that's one river trip I have not done. From the overlook, high above, you can see where the creek dumps into the Colorado River and creates the first little rapid on the Grand Canyon run.

Welcome to my world #2

 The Vermillion Cliffs National Monument is simply spectacular.

Welcome to My World #1!

After spending most of the winter in the southwest Arizona desert, we moved on to the Lee's Ferry campground at Marble Canyon AZ. This is where rafters launch onto the Colorado River to run the Grand Canyon, generally for around 18 days.

The scenery here is spectacular. The river canyon is on one edge of the campground and the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument is on the other side.

  This is the view we enjoy with our morning cappuccino.

Third New Zealand memory

 I finished this painting of Wharariki Beach, very northwest tip of South Island New Zealand. Now I'm working on the fourth and final piece for our memory wall.

Another New Watercolor

 This little 5x7 piece attempts to illustrate the many many waterfalls in Milford Sound on the southwest side of New Zealand's South Island.

I found it pretty much impossible to capture the scale of the huge fall at the bottom. In reality, there was a tour ship at the base of the fall - that was just a spec in my photo and would not be visible in the painting. 

I hope you feel the essence of the place.

New Painting

 I just finished this 8" x 5.5" watercolor, a New Zealand South Island memory. "Preening Kea". 

Photo reference taken at Arthur's Pass.

New Watercolor

 Just finished this 15" x 9" watercolor on 140# cold press Fabriano paper. 

'Haida Hummingbird', from photo I took in Sitka, Baranof Island, Alaska. This is one of the many First Nations symbols. 

My Muse has returned!

Wow! I have successfully completed four small watercolors in the past month.

It feels so darned good to have creative energy again. I am happy with these little pieces, three of which are gifts for family members who have reminded me they could use some new art.

Tree Orchids

Elephant Butte New Mexico

Haida Salmon Symbol

First Nations art from Sitka Alaska

Gold Crown Along the Chama

Rio Chama, New Mexico

Honu

Hawaiian Sea Turtle

New Paintings

 My apologies for being totally remiss in keeping my blog current. I will be using this blog as a forum for my artwork now. And perhaps the occasional travel photos and commentary. 

2020 proved to be a drain on my creative energy; the constant barrage of political chaos and then the coronavirus pandemic just zapped it. 

These are the only pieces I undertook last year 🙄.

Raven, a gift for my grandson Miles Batchelder 

Siena Rooftops and Tuscan Hills, another gift for dear friends

Grosvenor Arch, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument