"In the Forest, Bear Creek" Colored Pencil

It is late summer in the Colorado foothills and Bear Creek is flowing steadily through a narrow, forest-filled canyon. The pastoral scene is a study in contrast involving shapes, edges, values and color.

The forest interior is one of the most alluring places on earth providing asylum from the cold steel, glass and pavement found in the city. Life slows down along the creek where earth, trees, water and air create a comforting atmosphere.

The flickering landscape makes a gradual transition towards abstraction as the indistinct edges of the riverbank melt into the rushing water. The calm ambiance is disrupted by an explosion of streaming light that shatters into small shards of pure color.

It is a natural patchwork of opposing pigments where a warm highlight streaks across the creek’s cool surface. The rock cliff’s sharp angles convey action and dynamic movement that spreads across the unusual drawing.

A murky silhouette of pine trees suggests the tangled canopy of a dense woodland. The vibrant palette is scumbled over an orange-toned paper that permeates throughout the entire piece, unifying the intricate composition.

The depiction of this splendid niche in the planet is meant to express the mystery of an untamed wilderness. Just like the white cloud drifting into the background so will the forest’s fiery mosaic fade into the icy tones of winter.