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The first paintout this year for the Outdoor Painters Society was at Big Bend National Park in southern Texas February 19 - 24th.  Ten years ago I painted in Big Bend on February10th in the snow!  This year was quite different.  The temperature managed to rise to ninety degrees.  There has been a drought in this area of Texas for over five years and this particular area has not had rain for over ten months.  This colors are grayed and muted.  Usually some vegetation that survives from one year to the next.  But this year spring has not overcome the lack of rain. This must really be difficult for the animals that live in this region, from bears, cougars to many species of birds.  The only areas that were green were the flood plane areas right next to the Rio Grande which has been reduced to a triple do to the lack of rain.  

 

 

My first painting was started just after the turn off for the road to the Chisos Basin.  From this point of less than 3500 feet you can see the extruded formations that make up the Basin which is as high as 7200 feet above sea level.  In the top left of my painting you can see the edge of the Basin in the background.  It  was early morning when we started and the sun seems to race across the sky when you are trying to capture the beautiful shadows that define these formations as the sun comes up.  Many types of vegetation change color during the winter.  The yellowish color is from a bush that is the most prevalent in this particular altitude.  It is the most luscious greenish ochre.  I spent the entire week trying to capture it.  

 

 

Up the steep grade into the Chisos Basin there is a world class view that seems to go on forever.  From this highest point there is a drop-off from to the Chihuahua desert that seems to go on forever.  I clarity of the atmosphere has changed over the past 40 years and they now have machines that are gathering the air to see what the changes might be caused by. Perhaps that's not good for viewing but it certainly has dramatic and majestic effects on the colors as the distances recede into milky blues.  

 

 

Boquillias Canyon Overlook is a great place to paint.  It used to belong to Mexico before the park was formed.  In honor of this previous ownership the park allows Mexican craftsmen to bring their wares to this spot along with jars for "honest money".  You can purchase pottery, straw hats, animals and bugs made of beads and wire, and walking sticks etc.  Most fun to look and see what they are bringing over.  For five dollars you can row to Mexico and have a meal and shop.  It's a lovely border crossing.  This painting was done quickly looking over the edge of the overlook into a dry creek bed. 

 

 

Looking straight across the Boquillias Overlook you a see where the canyon divides into three. The layers are so beautiful and so steep. Somewhere down there is the Rio Grande still waiting for rain.

 

 

Close by Alpine is well known for its observatory.  At night the city is dark as the scientists use their huge telescopes at night to study the universe.  In Teralingua and Study Butte  population is sparse and at night there is very little illumination of the buildings.  So in order to do a nocturnal in the area it turned out the most colorful and busy place was the Alcon filling station.  It's also an important location as the gas stations are few and far between.  You must not get caught with a dry tank!

 

 

Not sure exactly if this particular formation has a name.  I'm quite sure it does as everything seems to be named, sometimes with several names, Spanish, Indian and by some event.  

 

 

This is my absolute favorite place to paint.  It has every element for a successful painting, water, rocks and lighting.  It is most beautiful in the morning.  When I arrived a bride and groom were having their pictures made.  They wandered by later and took my contact  information to purchase the finished painting.  How nice for them to have some art work done on the spot to remember this beautiful place.  

 

 

Castalon is on the way out of the Santa Elena Canyon has been a trading station, headquarters for the Army. suppliers for the miners and ranchers and now is a favorite place of visitors as it has restrooms and a convenience store along with some fantastic heavy duty equipment use to pump water for irrigation which was done in the 1920's.  This particular adobe building was the Commander's residence from about 1919 to 1922. when they came there to calm down the Indian attacks.  

 

 

This is the famous Mule Ears formation.  I had never painted it before. I wouldn't have painted it this time either but we got our car stuck in the sand.  It's like trying to drive in sugar.  A huge tow truck was called and since we had no plan else to go and no way to get anyplace else we painted.  Glad we did I rather like the painting and now I have one of the icons of Bid Bend National Park!

 

 

This painting was done early the morning before we reluctantly left the park.  It is Teralingua Creek and it was a just 10 feet out and many more feet below out rental.  The light was beautiful and pearly on the sand.  What  a  nice ending to a wonderful four days  in  Big Bend National Park!