Sunday, November 20, 2011

"Palo Duro Canyon"

9 x 12
oil on hardboard

The Outdoor Painter's Society planned their monthly meeting in Palo Duro Canyon this past weekend. Often referred to as The Grand Canyon of Texas, the state park is south of Amarillo in the Texas Panhandle. It is said that wind and water erosion continues to widen the canyon even today, so I imagine that it is much wider after this weekend's high winds! Fortunately there is a scene worthy of a painting in every direction, so the goal was first to find a spot that had some wind protection. This is my first afternoon's painting where I was able to set up right next to some stables. 

After the six hour drive from Dallas, I knew I only had a small amount of time to paint before the sun started to lower behind these beautiful cliffs, so I used a Anders Zorn's limited palette of cadmium red light, yellow ochre, ivory black, and titanium white, plus ultramarine blue. The beginning of a great weekend with so many talented plein air painters! 

2 comments:

  1. Wow! So many beautiful colors from such a limited palette. You are such a great plein air painter. You have my sincere admiration!!

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  2. What gorgeous colors, Ann! I love how you have one side of the rocky mountain in light and the other in shadow. And the way the shadows make those colors so fresh, much as they are when it is overcast outside. Beautiful work!

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