Garden of the Gods in Fog

I went to Garden of the Gods here in Colorado Springs when it was socked in with fog. I had originally planned to get shots of GotG with the recently snow covered mountains in back, but those mountains were nowhere to be found. Visibility was so low that day that the rock formations at the garden had such an eery feel that I couldn't wait to get home and see what I'd shot.

Oil on canvas, 20" x 14"

This painting is for sale at the Fare Bella Gallery in Manitou Springs, CO. Click here for contact information and to visit their site.

Mount Sheridan, Mosquito Range, CO

I think this is Mount Sheridan, just outside of Alma, CO. It is part of the Mosquito Range of the South Park region. If I'm to paint out here I feel compelled to learn the names of these mountains as well--just seems a littler more impressive for some reason.

Normally this peak sits rather unobtrusively among a bunch of other larger and higher, though less interesting, mountain peaks. In fact most days you don't even notice it, but every now and again a cloud sneaks in behind this peak and really shows it off. It's especially pleasing to look at with snow on it.

I've noticed that a lot out here in the Rockies, there are all kinds of peaks, ridges, and formations that just blend into the scenery on normal clear days, but if clouds can manage to sneak in or snow accumulates they all pop out from their hiding places.

Oil on canvas, 16" x 13.5"

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Two Rocks

So here's a larger work I completed recently. I love landscape painting and living in the High Plains of Colorado means I encounter a great scene for a painting almost a thousand times daily. This here is from Palmer Park in the middle of town here in Colorado Springs. These two rocks, who've been propped up for who knows how long, really popped off the pine trees on the nearby ridge. The mountain in the background is Cheyenne Mountain, which is where NORAD is located. In the actual scene the mountain is much much smaller, barely rising above the tree-line. To improve the composition I took it from another reference photo of almost the same angle, but unobstructed by trees, and added it to this scene in Photoshop.

Oil on canvas, 22" x 15"

Why I Outta

I had painted this a while back and hated it…well not hate, but I just didn't like it. Just one of those paintings really, not so bad to wipe it out, but then not so good as to be happy with it. Fortunately I had snapped a pic of the set up. This go around I kept it loose and colorful, and was much happier with the result!

When I finished I thought the stem on the red pepper looked like a fist being shaken at the viewer, hence the silly title. It cracked me up.

Oil on canvas board. 8" x 8"

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Sorels

This one could have really gone south for me as laces can be a bit daunting, what with all those crisscrossing patterns and whatnot. So I just decided to keep it loose and quick, and just get in the big abstract shapes. I chose not to pay much attention to the laces themselves and where they traveled, but rather just the large shapes that were present and let the laces just appear on their own.

Oil on canvas board. 8" x 8"

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Coffee and Donut Holes

Some donut holes and coffee for this morning's paint…then when I was done the kids ate them. Just in case you're thinking, "Man, that Dave can NOT paint a round mug!" This one's got a square mouth with a round base.

Oil on canvas board. 8" x 8"

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