A Day on Cheyenne Mountain

On the southern end of Colorado Springs, along Cheyenne Canyon Boulevard, you pass majestic rock formations washed into a western wonderland of sandstone and pine. Here you learn of a 19th century writer who was a friend of Emily Dickinson and who advocated for Native American rights. Her name was Helen Hunt Jackson.

I did not know about her until I decided to do a plein air pastel drawing on a summer day. I did not get an early start, and so I searched for a spot close to Parker that I had not been to before. I found a photo on Morris McClung's web page of Helen Hunt Falls. I have lived in Denver most of my life (61+), but had never seen this spot. I gathered my pack and easel and headed south.

It was July 1st and so the parking lot and visitor center was crowded. I thought I would just find a spot along the stream away from the crowd. Then the storm moved in, so I surrendered to set up my kit under the awning attached to the visitor center. My view was not as awesome as Morris's photograph above. After all he knows how to shoot photographs!

I wanted a composition that would capture the falls, and the rock-

work of the steps that led to the trail up the canyon. Once the afternoon thunderstorm exploded, I had to work with splatter and onlookers under the awning.

(3440 N Cheyenne Canyon Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906)

Working in pastel and charcoal out of doors is a challenge. However, I feel that chalk and sandpaper capture the feel of real world color and light! Pastel and charcoal, like oil painting, is a kind of sculpture. You add and subtract. I first do a layout with charcoal, then add color. As the storm washed away the mud up stream, the falls turned a kind of mocha, instead of white. The stone and foliage glistened. The people huddled in the visitor center, or just accepted the soaking of a mountain hike.

When I paint landscapes I love to include people. I feel this gives a sense of perspective for those who have never seen the location. From my snapshots I found an older woman with a cane, viewing the falls. It seemed appropriate for honoring the woman for which the falls are named. I continued to work despite a heavy thunderstorm splattering my board and body. Onlookers would peek to see if they approved. One mother visited with me about her daughter's interest in art, and asked for recommendations. I find the break to visit with people about the work I love a pleasure. After about four hours, I gathered my supplies and drove back home. Setting my table top easel next to my computer, I used my reference snap shots to complete the picture.