Even when I am painting steadily in the studio I find my mind getting twisted and clouded if I don't get outdoors and spend time painting. I celebrated November 1st by going to a local trail and walking to a new location. I have painted in the same open space before, but never at this new location. I found a cliff overhang facing a large cliff with pine and cottonwood decorating the base. As I prepared to paint a wren-canyone or cliff? flew within inches of my leg and landed. The bird spent the entire hour I was at the location coming and going.

The weather was warm and pleasant with no hint of the major snow storm that had blanketed the area only days earlier. The leaves had long since lost their strongest color, but rather turned to a more subtle yet still regal pale golden yellow.

The painting was a challenge with part of the cliff in shadow which extended down into part of the trees. The rocks were the color of autumn-reds, oranges, yellows. Cracks and interesting pock marks ambled across the surface, and a village of lichen, bright green, dotted the cliff's face.

Another challenge I accepted was the interesting combination of cottonwood branches which had not yet surrendered to winter still clinging to small bands of rebelious leaves. As I painted I pondered how to go about distinguishing this cottonwood from a large aspen?

At any rate this made my 71st plein air painting and it felt incredibly good to be out there doing it.

I will post the painting soon.