Walter Taylor

Some watercolor paintings 2008.

I continue my mad quest to find out what rivers (etc) look like. Last revised September 28, 2008.

For earlier paintings, click on these years: 2003 2004 2005-6. 2007.

Click on each small image to bring up a larger version.

Larimer County, CO, March 2008

Just north of Boulder county, near Lyons. The Little Thompson River is a beautiful small river flowing east out of the lower mountains for twenty miles, until joining the Big Thompson, and soon thereafter the South Platte. It is undammed, and there is no road along it, so it is very unspoiled.. One of the most beautiful river spots I have ever been to. For some other paintings from this locale, see 2007. This scene is from the far west boundary (or perhaps somewhat beyond) of the property. I photographed it on March 11, and later did the two paintings. The one on the left is smaller (quarter-sheet), while the one on the right is a half-sheet.

Mendocino County, California April, 2008

A four-day trip up from San Francisco. Did not do a lot of painting; only these two, painted right from my B & B. For some photographs of the trip (including this scene) please see this album. Again, the painting on the right is twice the size of the one on the left. There is a line of four sea-stacks between the left of the painting and the large island. Each of these is fifty feet tall.

Rio Chama, New Mexico, May, 2008

The Chama rises in southern Colorado (many of its branches, anyway), and flows south to join the Rio Grande at Espanola. On this visit, we again stayed in Cooper's Cabins at El Vado Ranch, just below El Vado Dam. For some other paintings from this locale, see 2007.

Arkansas River, Buena Vista, Colorado, June, 2008

Four views, looking across the river from west to east. I am in the river park that is a few blocks from downtown. First two are evening shots at close range. The next two show more into the distance; first morning, then evening. For some other paintings from this locale, see 2005-6.

Cottonwood Creek, near Buena Vista, Colorado, June, 2008

This is a view upstream, toward where the Colorado Trail crosses the creek (just out of sight). Just downstream is a beaver dam, which has made the stream wide and smooth in this spot. The water is perfectly clear here; this view is colored by the sandy bottom. Inside the tree shadow, light from the bottom is minimized, and the reflected sky dominates. Beavers are also indicated by the fact that some aspen trees have been flooded and cut down. The mountains are the Collegiate Peaks, near Cottonwood Pass.

This scene was photographed on June 15 at 4:23 PM; painting completed in August.

Red Rocks Lake, near Ward, Colorado, August, 2008

For some other paintings from other years, see 2003, 2004, 2005-6 and 2007. This is my sixth year of painting this lake. The first painting here is a quick gesture on site on a clear but windy day.

The second picture was done on a cloudy but very calm day. Some fishermen had occupied my usual spot, so I moved over to a new view of the lake; this one has more dramatic mountains. The second painting was sketched on site until the rain began, then begun again at home. The painting is based on the sketch and my memory; I made no photo of this view.

Switzerland Trail near Gold Hill, Boulder County, Sept., 2008

For earlier views of this aspen grove, please see 2005 and 2007. Here are two more views of the same aspens, one close up, the other from a hundred yards away. The first shows the conditions on September 17; the second on September 23. (Our first visit was on September 10, when all the leaves were still completely green.)