Fresh Air

Earlier this month, I took a little birthday backpacking trip into the Eastern Sierra (The Big Pine Lakes Basin) with my buddy Frank and my dog Kirkby. It was a tough slog straight up to 10,250 ft. above sea level, and I cursed the heavy painting gear, but it was all worth it when we caught first sight of the lakes. Still, next time I'm hiring the mule train to carry the gear!

Temple Crag at 6:30 am(ish) 6X8 O/P

Beach Rocks at Second Lake 8X10 O/P

I struggled with my paintings as well as the altitude and ended up scraping most of them down. My gear, process and site selection seems to need a little tweaking for mountain travel and light, but I had a great time nonetheless.

My trail buddies

Second Lake from our campsite

Temple Crag from Second Lake

View from Third Lake

Some new-uns

I've been panicking lately, feeling that I've been wasting precious summer daylight. Gotta step it up!

Mt. Tamalpais from Big Rock Ridge 6X8 O/P

Return of "The Hat" 6X8 O/P

Marin Headlands from Land's End (S.F.) 6X8 O/P

Had some fun paint sessions lately with good buds Ian and Richard. In the first two paintings, I was experimenting with a full value scale block-in in warm tones to try to brighten up my palette, only it seems that I covered it up a little more than I wanted. It may be worth further testing.