The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon

Last June I went on a white water rafting trip down the Grand Canyon on a Western River Expeditions trip.   You might wonder. looking at this picture, where are the rapids?  They are right around the corner just out of sight.   I wasn't brave enough to take any pictures while we navigated the rapids.  I was totally focused on holding on!  Travelling on the Colorado River through 188 miles of the Grand Canyon was an amazing adventure.  The rock formations were stupendous and continued to hold me in awe for the seven days on my trip.

By the way, do you see that little sand bar on the left?  We pulled our boats over to a large sandbar each evening, set up cots and tents, and slept under star-filled skies.

I hope this little 8 x 10" oil conveys something of the majesty of the Canyon. 

Grand Canyon Waterfall

In early June I went on a white water rafting trip down 188 miles of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.  What an adventure!  The white water rafting was a blast and the scenery spectacular.  We hiked to some absolutely beautiful waterfalls including this one.

Something about the immense size of the canyon walls demanded that I paint much larger than I usually do.  This is a full sheet of watercolor paper, 22 x 30".  I painted it standing up at an easel using 1 1/2" brushes.  Although I am usually much more comfortable painting small, there is something amazingly liberating about painting on a larger scale; one has to let go of all the details and stop fussing.  This is a new venture for me and one I want to follow.  Stay tuned to see what comes next!