Looking Back

I’ve been trying to get some of my photos organized from last year and I came across some that I forgot about.

Last year I spent a delightful week painting with Michael Chesley Johnson in Sedona, AZ. On one of the first days we spent the morning near an area known as Red Rock Crossing (if I recall correctly). It was a little overcast and quite cool. Being still a little early the in spring, a lot of the trees by the river were still minus their green leaves. Kind of a somber mood. So, that’s what I tried for in this little study….

8 x 10 pastel on sanded paper

To purchase this painting please contact: Randall Smith

Tuolumne River

It's summer and time to get back up to the High Country! This is a study of one of the infinite number on beautiful scenes along the Tuolumne River in Yosemite NP.

I've collected enough photos of this place to keep me busy for the next 2 years!

9 x 12 oil on linen panel

To purchase this painting please contact: Randall Smith

Clinging

During my last trip to Zion N.P. I photographed a very tenacious little tree that decided it was perfectly OK to grow out a crack in the rocks. This isn’t that uncommon in this type of country but this one seemed especially determined.

One of the main attraction to me about this area is the vibrant greens against the bright reds. Compliments, of course, and I’m a sucker for it!

12 x 16 pastel on sanded paper

To purchase this painting please contact: Randall Smith

Back to Basics

I was cleaning up my plein air kit this morning and I realized that I've let my palette creep up to 10 colors. That adds up to a lot of weight so I decided to sit down and see if I could still knock something out with the classic limited palette - yellow, red, blue and white.

So, here's a study from a photo I took in the Yosemite high country many years ago.

10 x 12 oil on linen panel

To purchase this painting please contact: Randall Smith

Upper Twin Lake

It’s another foggy day here in Southern California so I picked out a photo I took in Mammoth Lakes on a very clear morning.

I’ll venture back out into the fog tomorrow but for now I’ll live at the sunny lake!

12 x 16 oil on linen

To purchase this painting please contact: Randall Smith