Daily Inspiration
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Painting the Grand Canyon
Moran Point ~ Grand Canyon
During the spring of 2017, I was fortunate to go on a painting trip to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, with dear artist friends. There were 6 of us in two cars, driving from Santa Cruz California, and a few more met us on location. Sharing this kind of adventure with other artists is not only great fun, it also adds safety, support and inspiration along the way. We broke the 750 mile trip into two segments, and spent a couple nights on the way. This also gave us a chance to paint in Sedona, which I will share in a separate post.
Driving into Grand Canyon National Park we were surprised by a snow storm. What started as a few flurries, rapidly turned into a few feet of visibility. The ground was quickly covered by falling snow, including the road. Good thing I had my years of growing up in Germany and driving icy roads in the winter to draw on! The Drive became a meditation of focus…following in the “footsteps” of the car in front of us, one breath at a time.
However, the dusting of snow added a magic glow to this already awesome place. After quickly settling into Yavapai Lodge (which we loved by the way, a quiet retreat away from the hustle and bustle of Grand Canyon Village), we hurried to the Canyon rim to catch a glimpse of the setting sun. Wow! I was truly speechless, overpowered by the beauty of the place.
GRAND CANYON – MORAN POINT ~ Tuesday April 4th, 2017
The next morning, we awoke to brilliant sunshine reflecting off fresh fallen snow. Despite being hit by a bad bout of altitude sickness and a sore throat, I could not contain my excitement, and ventured out with the group.
As our first site, we chose Moran Point, which is named after the famous landscape painter Thomas Moran. I so admire his work, it was exhilarating to stand in the same place he did, and to take on this awesome view.
Though I have been to the Grand Canyon several times, and did research on how to paint the grandeur, nothing can truly prepare you for standing in front of this jaw dropping window into earth’s history! Attempting to translate these awe-inspiring vistas into convincing paintings is truly a GRAND challenge.
Being a California coastal painter, I am used to rocky shores, however painting the ocean is infinitely more forgiving than attempting these vast vistas, and endless layers of geological formations. As an artist, especially one rooted in impressionism, I strive to simplify nature’s complexity, while communicating the essence, soul and spirit of the place. The Grand Canyon is a demanding and powerful teacher on this journey.
Along Desert Drive, Grand Canyon
GRAND CANYON – ALONG DESERT DRIVE
Wed April 5 2017, morning
The next day, we drove along desert drive, scouting for a morning painting spot. This awesome vista stopped us in our tracks, and we quickly set up our gear (as quickly as it ever is for me, never the fastest of the pack…). The blues and purples in the shadows were stunning, as was the contrast of the forested foreground mountain, and the distant atmospheric layers.
Stunning – and CHALLENGING! The beauty of this place is overwhelming and complex, and the quickly changing weather and cloud formations vary the light constantly. Sure, as plein air painters we are used to this, but at the Grand Canyon the countless rock formations are like chameleons in the changing light. Just when you think you’ve established a workable pattern, it transforms…
What helps? Of course, as always, working quickly, and staying with your design of light and shadow, even as it changes. And, in my case, I finished my paintings in the studio, from reference photos. This allowed me to relax into the experience of painting this awesome place, without the added pressure of having to finish. Being a slow painter to start with, I have learned that going at my own pace is what I enjoy.
GRAND CANYON – AT MATHER POINT ~ Wednesday, April 5th, 2017, late afternoon
Sunset At Mather Point, Grand Canyon
After taking a much needed break, we tackled Mather Point in the late afternoon. By tackled I don’t just mean the challenging views, but also the unimaginable crowds! This spot is so beloved (understandably) that it feels like the “Disneyland” of the Grand Canyon.
My friend and I climbed up on a ledge, to escape the constant stream of folks, just so we wouldn’t get run over. From our artist’s perch, the view was spectacular, and awe inspiring.
Painting is a spiritual experience for me anyway, yet witnessing the evening glow and glorious sunset along with everyone else, and doing our best to capture this spectacle on canvas, was truly a high point.
GRAND CANYON – GRANDVIEW Thursday, April 6th, 2017
Grand View, Grand Canyon
Grandview point is amazingly gorgeous. We found the perfect painting location, nestled among the trees and away from the crowds. Heaven, especially after busy Mather Point!
My friend Jean and I picked the a special spot, opening up into a grand vista, while my friend Eunice painted the magical dusting of snow on the towering canyon walls.
The view was so breathtaking, I wish I had wings and could just fly over it. The earth spirit of this place is so powerful, we almost belted out Indian chants. Fortunately for any bystanders, I just sang in my head instead, and moved my paint brush to the soulful rhythm of the canyon.
This was the last painting of the trip. I finished these works in my studio, from reference photos and awesome memories. Touching them up at home brought me right back to the wild beauty of the Grand Canyon. I hope to create some larger studio paintings from all this inspiration as well.
We finished this wonderful adventure with a lovely group dinner at the majestic Grand Canyon Lodge, sharing our stories and a fabulous meal. These precious memories will last a life time!
National Parks Foundation Feature
Thank you so much to the National Parks Foundation for featuring us in their September newsletter (scroll down):
NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
CENTENNIAL
Centennial Month Recap — This year has been full of amazing events, programs, and celebrations in honor of the National Park Service Centennial. Hundreds of celebrations took place across the country with some of August’s highlights including a Park Exchange event in New York City at Thomas Edison National Historical Park that lit up the New York skyline and a giant living arrowhead on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Obama’s Weekly Address — President Barack Obama addressed the nation in a Youtube video on August 20 in anticipation of the National Park Service’s Centennial birthday. The President commemorated the 100th anniversary by sharing his family’s incredible experiences in national parks. President Obama described the importance of parks to himself and his family, as well as to current and future generations of Americans. He encouraged all Americans to explore the outdoors and “Find Your Park.”
Centennial Commemorative Coin — The United States Mint is selling commemorative coins that honor the National Park Service Centennial. These are beautiful collector’s items and every sale benefits the parks through funding for NPS signature projects and programs. As the official nonprofit partner of the National Park Service, the Foundation will collect the surcharges from sale of the coins to be used for vital projects and programs throughout the park system. The coins are available for purchase in select parks and online through December 31, 2016, so be sure to order yours soon!
National Park Centennial Challenge — The National Park Foundation teamed up with Humana and Charity Miles to create the National Park Centennial Challenge. Charity Miles is an app that allows people to earn money for a charity when they walk, run, or bike. The results of the Centennial Challenge showed that people logged over 100,000 miles during the course of the centennial week, making the National Park Foundation the number one charity on the app! You can learn more about the National Park Centennial Challenge here.
FIND YOUR PARK
A New Century and A New Park! — Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument was designated by President Obama as the newest park on August 24, 2016. It is the 413th park, covering 87,500 acres of rugged terrain in Northeastern Maine, including mountain ridges and wild rivers. The parklands are home to a wide variety of animals like moose, bobcats, bald eagle, salmon, and Canadian lynx. Philanthropist Roxanne Quimby donated thousands of acres and millions of dollars to the creation of this monument.
Find Your Park Expedition 2016 Updates — Eight social media personalities, bloggers, and online influencers will be adventuring through San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Rosie the Riveter WWII Homefront National Historical Park, and Yosemite National Park this month. The Find Your Park Expedition is a great opportunity to connect millennials and diverse audiences to our national parks. By taking online influencers to parks, we’ll bring the parks to people everywhere! Keep following #FYPx on social media for the latest updates.
Wrapping up the Park Exchange in New York City — The Park Exchange event series celebrated its final event in New York City on August 22. The all-day event boasted hundreds in attendance, celebrity appearances, and lots of media coverage. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, National Park Foundation President Will Shafroth, and Bill Nye ‘the Science Guy’ joined in on the fun, while DJ Questlove played a set into the night. Media coverage included CBS News, CNBC Squawk Box, and All Hip Hop.
NEWS AND RESOURCES
Obama Administration Launches Second Year of Every Kid in a Park — The Obama Administration announced on Thursday, September 1, that the Every Kid in a Park Program will continue for a second year. In addition, the National Park Foundation announced 129 field trip grants that will make it possible for 250,000 4th graders to visit national parks during the 2016 -2017 school year.
Paint the Parks! — What better way to celebrate the National Park Service Centennial than with painting your favorite outdoor spaces? Paint the Parks is a project for artists and nature lovers alike. Artists from around the country can paint scenes from their favorite national parks and then donate 10% of their proceeds from the sale of the painting to the National Park Foundation or to a specific park. You can find, purchase or get more information about these great pieces of art online at PaintTheParks.com.
National Public Lands Day — Celebrate our public lands by participating in a volunteer event on September 24. There are thousands of public land sites nationwide that need a little of your time for National Public Lands Day. People of all ages are invited to give back to their local community. There are lots of options to choose from. You can pull weeds, pick up litter, maintain trails and so much more. National Public Lands Day is a free admission day for all federal public lands and many state parks. Check out the National Public Lands Day website for more information.
2016 Fall Friends Alliance Registration and Updates — Registration is still open for the 2016 Fall Friends Alliance meeting at Grand Canyon National Park. This meeting will focus on sustaining and growing support for our national parks into the next century. Topics covered will include updates from the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, and networking opportunities for partners. The upcoming Fall Friends Alliance meeting is quickly approaching so be sure to register, coordinate travel plans, and signup for field trips today! For questions, or interest in carpooling to the Grand Canyon, please contact Marya Skotte at 202.796.3115 or mskotte@nationalparks.org.
A Warm Welcome to Chrystal Morris Murphy at the National Park Foundation — The National Park Foundation is excited to welcome Chrystal Morris Murphy as Senior Vice President of Community Partnerships. Chrystal is a community leader with over 10 years of constituency building and public relations experience. In her most recent role as VP and Senior Director of Community Engagement with America’s Promise Alliance (APA), Chrystal successfully created national partnerships, campaigns, and networks that galvanized communities to action. We look forward to the engaging work that Chrystal will be doing at the National Park Foundation!
Have Any Upcoming Find Your Park Programs, Events, or Volunteer Activities? — Please let NPF know if you have any events and/or volunteer opportunities you’d like us to share on social media. Please send details to Alanna Sobel, Senior Communications Manager, at asobel@nationalparks.org at least two weeks before the event date.
We sent you this email because you requested our monthly newsletter about national parks. If you’d rather not receive GoParks from the National Park Foundation, you can delete your name from our subscription list by contacting Marya Skotte at mskotte@nationalparks.org. In addition to our monthly newsletters, the National Park Foundation may periodically send out special editions of GoParks to alert our readers of news and events. Please see our revised Terms of Agreement here.
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Meeting Julie Packard at Point Lobos Member Event
Point Lobos Cypress
Recently, I had the honor of meeting Julie Packard and hearing her speak, at the annual member meeting for the Point Lobos Foundation. This amazing lady is a great philanthropist, and in addition to her fabulous work with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, was named a California Coastal Hero by the California Coastal Commission and has received the Audubon Medal for Conservation. Wow!
Ms. Packard’s talk added so much to the meeting, and gave great insight into the newest for our State Parks, including her groundbreaking work with California’s Parks Forward Commission to help develop a sustainable path for California’s state parks. Very inspiring!
At the break I had the opportunity to chat with Ms. Packard about the role of artists in supporting our parks. Julie was excited to hear about PaintTheParks.com, and the great opportunity we have to create powerful synergy between the arts and parks.
Point Lobos is one of my very favorite parks, and attending the member meeting was a wonderful way to learn more about the organization.
Posted in CA State Parks, Parks, Uncategorized
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Condors at Julia Pfeiffer Burns
Julia Pfeiffer Burns, McWay Falls
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and McWay Falls, about 36 miles south of Carmel, is worth a visit any day. Along with dramatic coastal vistas, this is the only major California waterfall to tumble into the Pacific – and no post card can translate the wild beauty of this place.
When a group of us artists headed towards the falls to paint this picturesque sanctuary, on a late spring afternoon, we were surprised by an additional gift:
Over 10 Californias Condors blessed us, circling above and swooping down to the trees while we painted there…Read More
Posted in CA State Parks, Paintings, Parks, Plein air, Uncategorized
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Toro Park in Spring
- Spring at Toro Park, o/c
Spring is in the air, and wildflowers are popping up everywhere. Since we did not have much rain, this is not a record bloom year. However, don’t let that deter you from venturing out into the verdant beauty of our parks.
- Indian Warrior
Though there may not be wall to wall flowers this year, there is great variety. In this recent hike we saw Footsteps of Spring, Indian Warriors, Owl Clover, Poppies, Lupines, Johnny Jump ups…. and many more.
“Spring at Toro Park” is the result of another fabulous day spent in this park, painting on location with friends. We drove up towards the guided nature trail, finding this glorious vista with oaks and lupines. Little did I know I signed up for a VERY demanding composition. Like many creative ideas, this inspiring view turned into a challenge fast! Continue Reading
Posted in CA State Parks, Paintings, Parks, Plein air, Uncategorized
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Painting the President’s Park
The White House, Presidental Park ~ o/c
During a visit to Washington DC this past week, I took the opportunity to paint the White House. Surprisingly, the White House and surrounding areas are part of the US National Park System, called the President’s Park.
- Precious Cargo
When I arrived, painting gear in tow, I found a crowd, and the whole area closed of. Why, I asked? Well, there was a good reason: the presidental helicopter was just about to arrive at the White House! I joined the other on-lookers, and we were soon rewarded with exciting close up views of “Marine One” descending onto the south lawn of the White House. Pretty cool!
After a few minutes the helicopter took off again, and we caught another glimpse. Waiting for the crowd to clear out, I dropped by the White House Visitor Center (currently being rennovated, so there is a temporary one), where you can find the NPS, as well as the WHite House HIstorical Association, and watch a 30min movie about the WH.
Finally, I set up my easle and did a quick sketch of this world famous spot. It was exhilerating to be in the middle of all the activity, and visitors from all around the world ~ especially so close to the election!
Washington DC is a fabulous and exciting city to visit ~ and so much to explore for artists. The National Mall with many memorials, beautiful parks and water features is part of the National Park Service, set aside for all of us to enjoy. Springtime, with the Cherry Trees in bloom, sure is a highlight. In addition, there are the wonderful Smithsonian Museeums, including the fabulous National Gallery of Art. An added plus ~ all the Smithsonian Museums and memorials are free of charge! If you’ve never been, or ready for another visit, Washington DC is worth the journey.
Painting our Parks Exhibit
Our local Santa Cruz Oil Painters group is hosting an exciting of show of Parks Paintings at all Branches of the Santa Cruz County Bank’s Art Collaborative.
20% of sales made during this exhibition will benefit the parks.
Painting our Parks, features over 100 plein air paintings of County, State and National Parks in California, from the quiet beauty of the pond at Quail Hollow, the grandeur of the rocky coast at Garrapata, to the majestic cliffs of Yosemite. The paintings were produced by fourteen Santa Cruz artists, all members of the Santa Cruz Oil Painters. Their images have captured the magic and the treasure of California’s natural beauty, preserved for all by our State Parks.
Artists’ Reception: 5:30-7:30pm on Thursday, September 27th Santa Cruz County Bank, 720 Front Street, Santa Cruz. Meet the artists, purchase artwork and network with other art lovers.
Read More
Posted in CA State Parks, Media Coverage, Paintings, Plein air, Uncategorized
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Get Married in a California State Park
Would you like to have your wedding in a park? How about getting married at Lake Tahoe? Want to get married at the beach? A gorgeous California State Park offers all of that: Sugar Pine Point State Park .
Sugar Point State Park hosts Weddings at the elegant, 11,000 square foot Hellman-Ehrman Mansion, amidst glorious forests of sugar pine, fir, juniper and aspen, and overlooking the emerald and saphire waters of Lake Tahoe. What a beautiful place to get married! And a great way to support the parks… the event fees will benefit ongoing improvements for this park, at a time when California State Park Funds are running short.
Sugar Pine Point State Park features almost two miles of gorgeous beachfront along the western shore of Lake Tahoe, as well as the bigger inland portion of the park, packed with hiking trails and camping – even in the snow! With 2000 acres this is the largest state park in the Lake Tahoe area. Read more about Sugar Pine Point State Park .
Other parks in the Lake Tahoe area that might host your wedding are Burton Creek SP, DL Bliss SP, Donner Memorial SP, Emerald Bay SP, Tahoe SRA, Ward Creek and Washoe Meadows SP – inquire here.
If you would like to get married at a Southern California State Park, San Clemente State Beach is a beautiful option. For additional SO CAL State Park locations for your wedding click here
For additional California State Parks hosting weddings click here
Explore Ca State Parks in your area
Here is a great resource list of getting married in a California State Parks from the Travel Journal.
- California Dreaming, o/c, 24×30
And how about a painting of the Park you are getting married at?
Please browse our galleries of California State Park paintings, and consider adding paintings to your gift registry.
Our Paint the Parks artists may also be happy to accept a commission, and paint a commemorative one of a kind piece to your specifications. And, a minimum of 10% from the sale price will be donated to Parks Programs!
Posted in CA State Parks, Uncategorized
Tagged california state park funding, california state parks, get married at a California state park, get married at a park, get married at Tahoe, get married at the beach
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Sugar Pine Point State Park ~ How to Improve in Times of Funding Shortage
On a recent plein-air trip to Lake Tahoe several of us artists were fortunate to paint at Sugar Pine Point State Park.
Sugar Pine Point State Park sports almost two miles of gorgeous beachfront along the western shore Lake Tahoe, no rx as well as the bigger inland portion of the park packed with hiking trails and camping – even in the snow! With 2000 acres this is the largest state park in the Tahoe area, with glorious forests of sugar pine, fir, juniper and aspen.
General Creek runs through the park, and creates a gorgeous s-shaped estuary and bird sanctuary, where this clear stream flows into Lake Tahoe.
When we painted there, flocks of Canadian geese with their chicks graced the waters. 
We even spotted Common Mergansers.
The numerous trails lead along the creek through a forested valley to the state park boundary, as well as into the El Dorado National Forest. You can also reach the northern part Desolation Wilderness from this park, as well as the Paci?c Crest Trail and other paths leading into the High Sierra backcountry.
In addition, Sugar Pine Point State Park is home to the Edwin L. Z’berg Natural Preserve. This preserve is an unmanaged sub-alpine meadow habitat allowed to evolve with as little human intervention as possible.
Scouting around this beautiful California park, we were amazed by the many improvements in progress ~ habitat restoration, path improvements… and even brandnew picnic tables in various stages of unwrap! Given the shortage of state park funding, I was curious about how this park is able to do these great improvements.
In my conversation with one of the friendly park rangers, I discovered how creative Sugar Pine Point State Park has been in funding improvements: In addtion to generous donations from patrons and visitors, this gorgeous park hosts events and even weddings ~ right there overlooking Lake Tahoe, at the elegant, 11,000 square foot Hellman-Ehrman Mansion. What a beautiful place to get married! And a great way to support the parks…
Congratulations Sugar Pine Point State Park for being so inventive in creating funds, and thank you for making such great improvements to this beautiful California State Park!
Posted in CA State Parks, Plein air, Uncategorized
Tagged california state park funding, california state parks
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