C1576
"A Forest Clearing"
(near Union Creek
& the Rogue River, Oregon Cascades)
Oil Sketch on Fredrix Canvas Board
5" x 7"
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A
very strange day … generally sunny with big clouds passing over, but even when
no cloud was above me there was fine precipitation going on much of the time
while I was painting; almost a mizzle, which is finer than a drizzle, but there
was no mist, and not heavy enough to be a drizzle, but it definitely could be
felt and seen as tiny droplets would land and slowly deploy on the palette, the
painting and me. This fine, extremely
light precipitation occurred even when no big cloud was directly overhead –
very strange. I never really got wet,
and I managed to dry the minuscule droplets from areas of the palette with
judicious paper towel use, and the painting itself never accumulated enough in
its vertical position to be a worry, but as it was about 35º F, not far above
freezing, it offered enough annoyance that I didn’t develop the Study as much
as I might have done; but that was probably a good thing, since the intention
was to study the stumps and logs, and subdue the rest – as it was I probably
did too much on the background. This
Study, however, did serve its
purpose, as looking hard at a bit of Nature and transcribing in paint what you
see sears it into your mind, and
that’s what a Study is all about. Imprimatura:
Venetian Red. Pigments: Rublev Blue
Ridge Yellow Ochre, and Italian Burnt Sienna, Lead White #2, and Winsor &
Newton Cobalt & Cerulean Blues & Venetian Red.
I spent a couple of nights in this camp off of a
forest road a couple of miles from Union Creek on the Rogue River Gorge, and about 17
miles from the Crater Lake Rim. The
nights got down below freezing into the 20s Fahrenheit, but no problem for this
Minnesotan. My second night here was
crispy clear with the Moon out and it was lovely taking a stroll for a mile or
so, in the moonlight along a frosty forest road, keeping my bear spray readily
available, should some wild beastie care to debate with me the finer points of
nighttime wilderness strolls; none cared to discuss such, save the odd comment from
a Great Horned Owl off in the forest.
This was my campsite. The trees are predominately Douglas Firs;
there are others. My portable loo seat,
complete with legs is shown with my trusty shovel. Morning ablutions off in the forest, below
freezing and even with a light snowfall, has surprisingly not proved to be a
hardship; rain, even with warmer temperatures, is something quite different
altogether, and I choose my moments in such weather. Before the acquisition of my portable loo
seat (with legs), morning ablutions were hard on the knees. Tools never to forget are T.P., hand
cleanser, shovel, bear spray and revolver … one hopes no necessity arises to
discuss territorial imperatives with the local residents at such moments,
unless they are disgusted rabbits or squirrels; Jays & Ravens have come to
satisfy their prurient curiosity at times, usually loudly announcing their
discoveries to the world at large, after which they, especially the Jays, seem
to laugh uproariously as they fly off … daft buggers!
The Rogue River Gorge
a couple miles from my campsite.
On the way to Crater Lake,
Only a few miles up the road.
I had been up to Crater Lake the day before,
experienced a brief 5 minute blizzard, in the overcast that obscured the view,
although the surface of the lake could just be made out through the cloud, a
thousand feet below at the base of the cliffs.
I had intended to go up again today, but remained near camp and painted
the Sketch at the top of this Post instead; tomorrow.