A walk along the Animas river - photo series

Plans to paint today got sidetracked by errands and more great weather.  So, instead, we took a walk down along the Animas River Trail, camera in tow.

Here are some select photos, which I hope you'll enjoy:

New Beginnings

The early leaf growth and seed tassels on this riverside tree create an interesting still life photo

River Sentinel

Squirrels can be a real nuisance at times, but this fellow just made me laugh

Tree Flowers in Crimson

Small catkin-type flowers precede leaf formation on this unidentified tree

Tiny Nest

This unoccupied nest, situated pretty far up in the tree, was only a couple of inches in size, suggesting it might be built by a hummingbird

Protective Parenting

While painting yesterday, a pair of Canada geese and their goslings were about 20 ft. away.  This isn't the same pair; the babies are much younger  

Common Checkered Skipper (Pyrgus communis)

This little insect landed just long enough on these small yellow flowers for me to quickly get this photo before dashing off to places unknown

Frilly Tulip

This flower was part of the public gardens in Santa Rita Park, located right along the river's edge

Spring comes to Durango - photo set

Some photos taken on a walk-about in downtown Durango yesterday - a placeholder until I have something new in my studio to share:

Detail of cherry blossom tree

Purple tulip with buds

Growing in a small retaining wall garden in the median right across from our new condo

Trees in bloom in downtown Durango

A trio of daffodils 

Flowering branch detail

Bi-color tulips 

Cherry tree at our current place

Enjoy!

Tulip Trio in Pink

tags:  pink tulip - floral art - original oil painting - 6x8 - surrealism - for sale - alla prima

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Tulip Trio in Pink

8x6 inches - oil on canvas panel

Yes, another floral in oils has somehow slipped in between the architectural pastels.  It is, after all, almost springtime and these beauties will begin emerging from winter dormancy within a month.  I painted this yesterday, on a whim, after going through my many reference photos of flowers and selecting some for a series of 6x6" wood panels I have recently made up, and decided to keep this in a portrait format.

Have you ever had a painting just wander off in its own direction as you painted it?  This was one of those paintings.  The original photo was taken against a shingled wall and building base back in Mystic last April - ugly, but I loved the flowers.  I originally planned on a neutral background, similar to the rose portrait painting I did last month.  Somehow, it evolved into something resembling a simple abstracted landscape.  I pushed paint around, removed some, added more, switched colors and finally decided to stop.  I can't stop thinking that it might look really, really cool with some clouds.  Or a completely out of context mountain range in the distance.  

I don't know if it works or not, but for some odd reason, I like it.  I do love the color harmony I get with oils; this has thalo violet, cadmium red medium, permanent rose, sap green and a pale cobalt blue hue with white.  

Back to the pastel Ancient Architecture series tomorrow.