F. Vettergreen, “Highwood Pass, sky study” 2011; mixed media on paper, 11 x 17 inches

Well, that turned out to be a longer break than I’d planned.  Life happens.  But all’s well that ends well, and we’ll leave it at that.

I’ve been craving a mountain fix for a really long time.  Life without skiing and backpacking diminishes me (not as much as the toddler for whom I gave up such pursuits enriches me!) but it’ll be a while before I get to do much of either.  Luckily, there are a few places one can reach with a car and a few spare hours that are (almost) wild enough to do the trick; and luckily, our really late summer has meant that I can sneak in a few plein air sessions before winter closes in for good.  Though I had so much fun I might be doing this even in the snow…maybe not at 30 below!

I think of these as drawings, though I work with a brush and watercolour or gouache pigments.   Something about the immediacy, or maybe the economy of surface, or maybe the lines…dunno.  What do you think?  Drawing or painting?  Does it matter?

(And yes, that’s the ground you see in the background of the photo…which was not taken at Highwood Pass in the snow but at Sibbald Viewpoint on a drier day.  Photos of that adventure to follow!)