Lee's Ferry--Grand Canyon

12" x 16"  oil on clayboard
$395.00 + $10. s/h
please contact me if interested

Lee's Ferry is where the Grand Canyon officially starts.  For people headed out on Colorado River raft trips, this is the official launch spot.  Actually, the launch site is right behind me.  Our son just got back from a 30 day river trip down the Colorado, through the Grand Canyon; it took 30 days due to the fact that they were in motorless rafts.  My husband did this trip several summers ago in 10 days;  they had motors to help speed them through the slow, rapidless spots.  Our son went w/ a group of guys he met while a geology major.  One friend "put in" for 8 years before getting a spot.  If you choose to raft on your own, without a commercial guide, it's a lottery.  And, winning the lottery is a huge deal.  Only a few rafts are allowed to launch each day.  This alleviates overcrowding on the river and the camping places each night.

Lee's Ferry is just down river from the Glen Canyon Dam, outside of Paige, Az.  Before the dams of the 20th century, Lee's Ferry benefitted from a geologic circumstance.  Due to shale deposits it was the only place to cross the Colorado River for 260 miles.  Everywhere else along the Colorado from Moab, Utah to Laughlin, Nevada, the river had cut through limestone and sandstone creating vertical cliffs and gorges as it eroded, making it impossible to ford.

In the paintings I've done lately, I've been trying to think about and be aware of the value.  For this one I did 2 quick value studies in pencil.  In the top study I have the lights, mediums and very dark shadows.  In the bottom I blended most of the darks together into one shape.

Then I did an value study in oils.  For these grays I mixed terra rosa, black and white.  I don't do this w/ every painting.  But, I will say that when I got to the color, it was pretty quick and easy.  I tried to stay right w/in the true value ranges and just put down the color notes.