Author: Doug Rutherford

I started a painting this morning and it just wasn’t working out. So, I decided to do something else. We’ve had some nice sunsets recently, and I used a picture I took the other evening.

Poplars. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day 1802.

I was wondering what to paint this morning. I had taken some night photos the other night and was thinking of painting one of these. But, I woke late, and before I started, the morning light was streaming in the window. It inspired me to do some morning painting.

I decided to do a painting of the Dezadeash Lake area, although I haven’t had a chance to get there recently. Whenever I decide to go on a photo run to either the White Pass or Chilkat Pass, the weather forecast immediately changes to the terrible side of the coin. So far this winter, saying I was headed out there has yielded heavy snowfall warnings, winter storm warnings, and my particular favourite, wind chills of -50°C. Therefore, this was done from an older photo.

Dezadeash Lake. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1801.

I can’t believe this silly project of doing a painting a day has gotten this far. That being said, I spent some time last night wondering what to do for painting number 1800. I finally settled on painting an area I’m rather fond of. The Kluane area is a gem, and there is lots of scenery to choose from. I settled on an evening scene from the Alsek River Valley.

Day’s end in the Alsek Valley. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1800.

I went for a photo run up the Fish Lake Road in late April last year. I wanted nice view of Golden Horn, as well as a few looking up McIntyre Creek canyon. When I parked the car in the pullout for the canyon viewpoint and started over to the viewpoint, I realized I had the perfect view of Golden Horn framed between two trees.

Golden Horn Mountain. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1799.

I suppose you could add this one to my list of “paintings from exotic locations.” This is a sunrise view of Grey Mountain looking above the ridge from the Walmart parking lot.

Sunrise, Grey Mountain. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1798.

Next week, I’m teaching a workshop at the ElderActive Recreation Association on painting mountain sunsets in watercolour. I poked at a few possibilities for the project, and decided on a final topic. I needed to keep it reasonably simple, since we’ll have a range of experience among the participants and the workshop is only two hours long.

I did have an earlier plan in mind, but I figured we should go a little more dramatic than my original thought, although we’re still painting the same mountain. Now, all I left to do to prepare is make my drawing templates for the group.

Fox Lake. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.
Painting of the day #1797.

Mount Martha Black is one of my favourite mountains (yes, you can have a favourite). I’ve painted this face several times and, since I may have a mountain themed exhibit in the summer, I figured I’d do this face again. I love this exposed face and how the trees on the roadside frame it.

Mount Martha Black, SE face. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1796.

A night drive in winter is always a great trip. There’s lots of wonderful scenery, although you do have to pay attention for wildlife on the roads in the evening. The Taklini salt flats are a pretty spot.

Night on the Takhini salt flats. Watercolour on paper, 8×10 inches.
Painting of the day #1795.

Here’s a sunset over Mount Sumanik, Whitehorse, Yukon.

Sunset, Mount Sumanik. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches.
Painting of the day #1794.

We had an amazing sunset the other evening. I took a lot of photos and, when trying to decide what to paint this morning, chose this particular view. This, by the way, is another of my exotic location paintings… from my front step.

Sunset. Watercolour on paper, 11×14 inches,
Painting of the day #1794.