Where I Stand Sunday with the Sunrise

For the last 2+ years, I have been able to rise (most days) and stand on my front deck and catch beautiful sunrises over the Wet Mountains, in Colorado.  In the evening, I stand on the back deck and catch the sunsets over the Sangre de Cristo mountains.  Today was no exception.  My phone and my cameras are full of colorfully awesome skies - morning and evening.

In a quiet space in my head as I view these spectacular events, that song from 'Fiddler on the Roof', always plays...

Sunrise, sunset, Sunrise, sunset,

Swiftly fly the years.

One season following another, 

Laden with happiness and tears.

and although we are in a much HEEDED 'lockdown' with most everyone else on the planet, it seems like time is standing still, but the days continue to fly by - a contradiction of events. Here are a few more morning breaths of color...

I am grateful to be able to see these skies each day.

"Where I Stand Sunday" is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.  Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend out lives walking on.I am not the only one who posts about this - google it.

An Oil Painting of the Sunrise

"Sunrise 165"

oil on wrapped canvas

11" x 14"

This morning, I gessoed over about 12 used canvases. 

My intention is to have substrates to 'practice' on for portraits.  

Off to a good start!  (Wait a minute - this is a landscape...)

As I was putting away a stack of 'maybe's' - 

this one was still propped up on my easel.

I decided to dive right into it, as I had lots of landscape colors left 

on my palette from the 'wolf' painting.

This is a sunrise on my dirt farm road.  I loved the colors in the sky. 

One thing I need to say about Kansas - it has sunrises and sunsets

like no other. 

This one really caught me!

Chaco Canyon Sunrise - WIP

"Chaco Canyon Sunrise"

original oil - work in progress

24" x 30"

Sorry for the shine on this, the paint is wet and shiny in the light I used about sundown in the studio...but since it is still in progress it's not the final photo. The pink in the upper righthand corner is not really that pink. I have discovered -

I love doing sunrises and I am now working on a sunset at the farm. Woohoo!

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When Life Happens

About 3 days of no painting...several things that took the time away. The good thing is I am now a member of the Prairie Winds Art Center in Grand Island, Nebraska. That's a 91 mile drive, one way. Takes about 1 1/2 hours to get there. But - I needed to expand my horizons - in a regional sense and decided to start here. The members are VERY nice and friendly people! It will be a good fit! Here are some photos of what you see when you go there, and if you are in the area, I suggest you visit the gallery - it's very cool!

The street view at 112 W. 3rd St.. The building has been many businesses over the years. It has a nice antique interior.

This is what you see as you walk in the door.

The Member Show started on Wednesday. You can see my "Harness" painting on this stand!

Because I am new, I have a space on the wall near the back...gotta start somewhere. But as you walk around, you can see my art from most spots in the gallery because it is straight back from the entrance door.

Had to go the other direction on Thursday to get our car looked at and have some maintenance done. Here is the sunrise over Waconda Lake on the way. It was breathtaking!

Where I Stand Sunday

There is something special about getting up early on a farm, you get to see the most amazing sunrises. This time of year, they can be spectacular. This is me standing on the road on my way to my art workshop yesterday AM, I am probably still asleep this morning, as you read this - then again, maybe not because I am so inspired!

I just have to keep going and going right now, no time for the holiday.

After running around the trees by the pond and catching a few shots, I just had to stop on the top of the hill for some more.

And then I stopped again at the corner..

and then I saw the light creeping up the power poles and shine on the elevator.

Wow, it doesn't get any better than that! As I drove west, of course, I left the sunrise scene, the clouds obliterated the sun, but I was more than glad I had the experience!