Waiting for a Friend on a Winters Day

February in Colorado it a challenging month for a would be plein air artist. Julie, my beloved for forty two years knew I was antsy to get out of the house. I had been reading about a developer in Colorado that wants to revive Trinidad CO by creating a destination for art lovers. We got a B&B in Raton, on the New Mexico side of the Pass, and left Saturday 2/1 for a two hour drive. This is the kind of unplanned expedition that can end in glory or futility.

It was dark when we arrived at our quaint Victorian house filled with antiques. We went to bed after a warm cup of tea and a tiny chocolate. In the morning we visited with the other travelers and asked opinions of a place to paint. The owner and a frequent guest suggested a near by state park, but all we found was some ice fisherman, and winter scrub. On the road we saw a Barn, and old Barns are one of my favorite subjects. We did not want to lose the day, so we snapped some quick pics with my iphone.

While taking the pictures for several angles, trying to imagine how to transfer it to canvas, we were joined by a very friendly dog. Julie and I have not had a dog in many years, and we thought we were over it. But she has been sentimental about this pooch since that morning, and I have to admit it had a sweet nature. Again we snapped some pics. Then back over the Pass to Colorado and Trinidad.

Trinidad was once a thriving town on the Rail line, serving miners and travelers. The mines have gone, and the interstate whips people by. There are some marvelous architectural gems boarded up. I hope the investors will achieve the dream.It was not a good weather day for painting, and so we made a stop in Pueblo for the River-walk and a burger. Then home.

I wanted to salvage the trip some how, so I got my drawing board and charcoal and tried a composition from the snaps.

I liked the idea, and so I got out my oil paints and an unopened streached linen I had been saving for a special project. I just seemed a good choice.

I realize I have painted barns in open fields, abandoned houses in open fields, and cabins on wide open hillsides. It has become a kind of personal genre. I call this project "Watching for a friend on a Winter day." It is a nice little paining. Over my lifetime I have met similar dogs on empty fields, and recognize them as cohorts in the journey. If there is a moral to this story it would be there is: A picture is there, an artist must find it.