Timpanogos Dawn

Hey, I got another sunrise piece done! This one is called Timpanogos Dawn. 20x10 oils on panel.

I struggled with the highlights and shadow on the mountain initially, but I'm satisfied with how it is now. Struggle is good, right!?

Here are the GPS coordinates: 40.215625, -111.690803 and some WIP shots and the reference I took last fall.

The reference was taken mid November 2023 on one of my early morning bike rides. This day I was headed West on the new Lakeview Parkway in Provo. There is a nice bike path and some open spaces that give you a good view of the valley and mountains. I feel like I will be doing a lot of paintings of different view points along this path.

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Way off the beaten path!

Well what do you know?! I finished another piece! This one is "Above Snow Hollow Loop" it is 20x10, oil on board. These are the GPS coordinates: 39.946029, -112.414842.

Snow Hollow Loop is south of Vernon Utah and west of Eureka. Miki and I were out there exploring some little jeep trails last May after a very heavy snow season. Neither of us had been in the area before. There is a reservoir and campground down by the main loop but there are a good dozen or more jeep trails that spur off of it. We explored a handful and left the rest for another time when we are out there again.

One thing that was interesting to see is the grey areas around the snow fields. It seems like the as the snow melts it takes a while for the plants to sprout up and turn things green. So the grey areas are where the plants haven't had enough time to grow yet.

Here are a couple WIP shots and the reference from that day. Enjoy!

Burnt Toast

Hurray! Another painting completed. This one is titled "Burnt Toast." It is 14x11, Oil on Panel.

This is a fun landmark in the middle of the 7-mile Rim trail in Moab. You have to squeeze your jeep between the three big rocks in the foreground and the jumble of rocks behind them. This landmark is right below Merrimac Butte and right across from Monitor Butte. Those buttes really do remind you of the Civil War battleships. It is interesting noticing the difference in the rock color of the "Toast" slices from the other boulders around it. I have to assume that they fell from high up on the butte where the layers are darker and redder than those at the lower level around them. I'm not sure if they split when they fell or split from ice and weathering in their current location.

Here are the GPS coordinates: 38.661821, -109.743728 And here is an early WIP and the reference image that I used.

Enjoy!

End of a Tough Ride

 Hey friends! Here is another painting that I completed recently. This one is "Destination Towers." It is 10x20 oils on panel and here are the GPS coordinates: 38.683406, -109.750537

This is an amazing place. This imposing feature marks the end of the challenging parts of the 7 Mile Rim trail in Moab Utah. It is a little ways above the famous "Wipeout Hill" which is always a nail biter for me. It is interesting to see how prominent the different layers of rock are and how distinct the coloring changes from the purple at the top to the redish below. Enjoy!

Here are my reference images and an early WIP shot.

Looking Up

Sunrise over Rock Canyon - 10x20, oil on panel

Here are the GPS coordinates - 40.241708, -111.733310

A few months ago I was riding by the airport and saw some wispy clouds above the mountains. There wasn't much light yet but I kept my eye on them as I made my way north and west out toward Utah Lake. When I got past the campground, the sky was on fire with pink, purple, orange and yellow. I watched for a minute. It amazes me how quickly the light changes or fades some mornings.

I finally got another one framed! Enjoy!

#roballenfineart