Aspen in Black #10

This was actually completed a few days ago between oil sessions, but I had hoped to get another finished to post at the same time.   I went in a different direction with today's paintings, which I'll post tomorrow when I finish 1-2 more.

This is #10 in the series.   It may be time to switch to cottonwoods and other riparian trees for fall colors, since the aspen references are starting to dwindle a bit, and I have reference photos taken in various locations that I'm really excited about painting; this fall color gig could run well into winter!

I have really enjoyed doing this series, both because it has allowed me to work with bright, saturated colors - a contrast to the muted earth tones of the oil series - and because it has allowed (forced?) me to spend more time looking at trees and my approach to painting them as abstracted, organic forms.  

Aspen #10

12x9 - pastel on toned w/c paper

A few sky photos from yesterday and today, courtesy of the pacific storm that has been passing through this region for the past several days.  Night-time lows have dropped to the low 20's and the trees in town are busy dumping their leaves in earnest.  

Monday afternoon - Oct 25

Sunset, Oct 25

Sunset warm-up, Oct 26

Sunset main act, Oct 26.  Sublime.