Lower Falls of the Yellowstone

Here is the completed painting.
10"x14" watercolor

Finishing the Falls

Put together another short video of some progression shots. I hope to soon produce a real video of my work. I just haven't found a way to do it yet, working alone.

I added a music track to this. "Pretty Polly" by Bobby Horton off the National Parks soundtrack. You should pick it up, awesome soundtrack...and documentary: http://www.amazon.com/The-National-Parks-Official-Soundtrack/dp/B002F827CO

Falls of the Yellowstone Reference

It was getting late in the day and I wanted to get some better, closer, photos of the falls; so I ran down Uncle Tom's Trail (and about 300 metal steps) to the base of the falls.

I can't begin to describe how awesome it is to stand there and see, smell, hear, and feel this majestic site. It was almost hypnotic to stand there and watch the water pour over the ledge and I was particularly drawn to that turquoise wedge of water on the left hand side...so artfully perfect.

 Here's an interesting link to info on the trail: http://www.yellowstonepark.com/2011/06/hike-yellowstone-national-parks-uncle-toms-trail/

So, here is the reference I'm using for the painting below.

The next image here is to show just how huge it is...notice the people standing at the observation platform that you can hardly see in the above image.

Lower Falls of the Yellowstone WIP

Work in Progress (WIP) on The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River.
10"x14" on Arches 140lb. cold press

This is kind of further along than other wips that I have posted before, but once I started I didn't stop until this point. I worked wet in wet and dry in wet starting with the very furthest back trees, then worked forward and down the right hand side, then did the cliff face on the left.

It still has work to do, so tune back in later.

Blue and yellow make green, Dad

My daughter teaching me a thing or two...

 

"McKayla's Barn"

Why Art?

The biggest question, and most impossible to answer, that I keep asking myself is "Why art?" It makes no sense. Is it just ego? I mean there are libraries full of books that seek to explain it, so I suppose I should humble myself that I shall never know the answer. Though I don't think I really want to know the answer and I definitely don't think it's for me to decide. A blank piece of paper is art to some folks....therein lies part of the problem. What people think....I like to think I do my art for myself. If it attracts an audience, well, I certainly appreciate it. I guess I wouldn't be showing it to the world if I didn't care. Sure, I care...I want people to maybe see things differently or think about something they never thought about before. I know, looking back, that I certainly had people or places that I visited that open a window on the stale air of the room I was occupying at the time.
Or is just having a pretty picture to hang over the couch that matches the upholstery?

Review of new work created during January 2013

Here are all the new paintings from this month.

"Wind River Cottonwood"
7"x11" watercolor
original not for sale

"The Cathedral Group"
20"x14" watercolor SOLD

"Sunrise With Brodie"
14"x10" watercolor

"Between A Rock And A High Place"
10"x14" watercolor

 

"Above Louis Lake In The Southern Wind River Mountains"
10"x14" watercolor

 

"Red Desert, Wyoming"
14"x7" watercolor

"Creek Explorer At The Rendezvous"
14"x20" watercolor

 

"At The Rendezvous No.1"
10"x7" watercolor
SOLD

"Traditional Dancer"
7"x10" watercolor SOLD

 

"American Buffalo In Yellowstone"
14"x10" watercolor  SOLD

In Progress Shots Of A Recent Painting

Put together (experimenting with) a short video showing the progression of a recent painting. I hope to start providing better content that displays what I do. 

Be patient and I'll figure it out. 

Thanks for viewing.

Owensboro Art Guild

I'm a member of the Owensboro Art Guild, http://owensboroartguild.org/index.html

Our 51st Juried Exhibition is coming up in February and a prospectus is available from the link above for anyone interested in entering. You don't have to be a member.

There are more than $2,500 in purchase and merit awards and is held at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art. http://www.omfa.us/

First work of my new blog

I'm trying to loosen up my painting. Worked this almost entirely wet in wet. Paper is Arches 140lb. cold press quarter sheet (11"x15"
 Colors used:
W&N French Ultramarine
W&N Cobalt Blue
W&N Winsor Red
W&N Permanent Alizarin Crimson
W&N New Gamboge
 W&N Winsor Lemon
W&N Burnt Sienna

 Started with a quick sketch from a photo I had taken in Yellowstone National Park last year.

All artwork and images are copyright of Todd Derr.
Please don't steal my work, just ask.

My name is Todd Derr and I'm an artist and I'm going to use this blog not unlike every soul out there using these things. I'm going to attempt to tell you my story and show you my art.

Tonight is my first foray in this medium, though I've been practicing for a while on facebook. So bear with me as I come to grips with how this thing works. If you want to fast forward and see what I do before I get this thing up and running, you can visit my facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/derrsart or my Print On Demand site: http://todd-derr.artistwebsites.com/

After I post this, I'm going to get on with a painting and hopefully have a fresh new work to update this blog very soon.

Peace!