Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Imaging Chelan

pastel on archival paper, pumice ground
38x51 cm (15x20 in)
Lake Chelan is a narrow 50 mile long lake mysteriously located in the desert mountains of Central Washington. Oh, sure, geologists have figured out why it's there, but that doesn't change the mystery of experiencing it. The place is stunning, and changes character with the seasons and the time of day. It is only partly accessible by road, and the far reaches can be reached only by boat in the summer. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth. This painting is far from a literal rendering. It is my imagining of the lake from a memory of a long ago kayak trip, nearing sunset.

(Note: this painting was difficult to photograph and to color correct for the screen. It looks a bit garish here. I'll try again later and see if the subleties of the color can be brought out better. Addendum, Feb. 3, 2009: in addition, I've since worked more on this painting, so it looks quite different.)