Middle Fork South Platte
by Beverley Harper Tinsley
Title
Middle Fork South Platte
Artist
Beverley Harper Tinsley
Medium
Painting - Watercolor And Graphite
Description
I loved the extensive views in all directions from this scenic valley area, near a river basin where we stopped on a summer day, so my husband could go fishing and my daughter and I could cool our bare toes in the soft, soft earth. Tomahawk State Wildlife Area offers quiet and peace with a winding stream traveling through willow covered grasslands, with a variety of earthy warm colors and scents, and distant views of mountain peaks.
*****
Middle Fork South Platte is a square watercolor painting inspired by two visits to the area. During the first stop, I read a book, and listened to a nearby Raven making lovely cooing noises, my husband tried out some fly fishing and our daughter was hoping to ride her bike. She soon found that the soft dry soil of the road was a more difficult ride than she expected, and subsequently spent her remaining time enjoying that soft soil instead, with her bare feet. She also forgot and left her shoes. A favorite pair of shoes, bought for her by her much loved uncles in Seattle, and therefore not to be abandoned......thus necessitating our second visit, the following morning, when we recovered the shoes.
*****
It was worth it. We saw a bear near the area, and a moose on the drive home, and of course, I took some photos for painting references. The sky was doing crazy, moody, fluffy cloud things and displaying that amazing blue we have in Colorado, with some violet too, signifying the rain that was on the way. I do suppose this is why it is called Colorful Colorado.
*****
I had fun painting this piece, trying to find the balance of the warmth nearby and the cool distance, layering in the textural elements and mixing the paints directly on the paper, seeking the right composition for the square format I planned to use.
Uploaded
August 5th, 2020
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