Near Iceberg Lake

This alpine meadow study was painted about a couple of hundred yards before Iceberg Lake, which is situated above Lake Ediza at about 10,000 feet. It was very windy that day which made it impossible to paint with an umbrella. I struggled with glare which made it difficult to judge color well, but I managed to touch it up to be close to what I was seeing. The snowfield was a fun bold element to compose with, and it is a good memory of a good day. I would love to work this one up into a larger painting.

Old White Pine

Lake Ediza is at about 9,280 feet according to my GPS unit, near the timber line. I was wandering around looking for something to paint and passed through a very old grove of hemlock and white pine. The gnarled trunk of this specimen growing out of the rocks caught my eye with the late afternoon light reflections. The mountain lumps in the background are Ritter and Banner. I will have a few more studies to post in the next few days but they need some touchup first. 

Minaret Morning

I was intrigued by the long shadows on the slope of the Minarets at this time of morning. This view was painted from the same spot as my favorite study (posted earlier). 8x10", oil on linen.

Looking Toward Lake Ediza Outlet

A morning view looking toward the outlet of the lake, painted from our campsite area. We had a day or two of wind early in our trip, but toward the end it was very calm, creating silky reflections on the lake.

Favorite Ediza Study

This view was painted by several of us during our stay at Lake Ediza. It was only a few feet from our campsite and was in comfortable afternoon shade near a small sandy beach. The shallow-to-deep water transition created a gorgeous color modulation. This study was one of only two that I finished on a second day instead of one session, which is usually a little risky if the weather changes. 

Out Spring Hill Road

Ernesto and I went out for a quick painting jaunt today near Petaluma. I haven't painted in Sonoma County for a few months so it felt a little weird to be out looking at eucalyptus, oak trees and dry grass. Thanks Ernesto!