Art at the Lake

We just returned from several days of camping at Sparks Lake in central Oregon. I found time to do four pastel paintings while we were there! Plein air painting is quite a challenge. Just when I think I've got the color or shadow right, the light changes and creates a new view of the same subject. However, it was fun trying. :)

The first one was painted as I sat on our bluff campsite looking across the lake in the early morning. The grasses on the other side were bright green in the sunlight.

 Morning Light at Sparks Lake, 8x8 pastel on orange Canson

This painting of South Sister was done in the late morning from a beach not too far from the boat landing. South Sister always reminds Ken and I of a "monkey face", with the dark fissures of the "mouth" creating a rather grumpy looking ape.

 South Sister, otherwise known as Monkey Face, 8x8 pastel on orange Canson

This view was from the back side of our bluff campsite looking into the second cove in the southern part of the lake. I hate trying to paint rocks, so I made myself do it just for the challenge. This was in the late afternoon.

 Rocky Cove, 8x8 pastel on golden Canson

The sun was quite low in the sky when I painted this one, sitting on a tiny beach just north of the southern pool of the lake. The light was changing very quickly on this one so I tried to hurry. :)

Fading Light on Sparks Lake, 8x8 pastel on golden Canson