Gallery 4: Colorado Plein Air Paintings

This year I was selected as Artist in Residence for Pingree Park, a beautiful campus of Colorado State University high in the mountains west of Fort Collins. I had the good fortune to live and paint there for two weeks, getting to know the wonderful people who ran and participated in the Elderhostel program. With complete freedom to roam the valley and surrounding mountains I hiked to many scenic places, saw moose several times and other wildlife I've never encountered before.

The highlight of my residency was an all-day hike to Lake Emmaline, a glacial lake at 11,000 feet, in the delightful company of about 30 sixth-graders, their teachers and a guide from the staff who were part of an Ecology program run by Pingree Park. We ran into a bit of snow deposited at the higher altitudes the day before and glacial winds at the Lake, but the gorgeous views along the way were well worth the hard work of getting there.

Click on the images to see a larger version. Use the arrow controls on each painting's page to move forward or backward through the gallery. If you are interested in purchasing a painting, please contact Elena Maza.