The most wonderful privileges of working at Snowbird Resort can be found at dawn.
Bleary eyed, riding the tram up in the dark only to watch the sun peek its head up over the ridge line in a drowsy sympathy was among those privileges. Rising not only in elevation, but with the day itself was the pinnacle of romance, even on those mornings where the body was still protesting from yesterday’s efforts.
Step outside, clip into your skis, tighten your boots and listen. This painting came from one of those magical moments where the wind lie stagnant, the air pleasantly brisk, and the previous storm cycle was giving way to those grandiose views you almost forgot were there for so many days of thick, low cloud cover.
In those early hours, armed with a freshly primed panel and pigment stowed in a makeshift pochade box (courtesy of cardboard and double sided tape), I sat at Hidden Peak and got the pleasure of chasing the light as the sunrise illuminated the Bookends.
Even sweeter, was the fact that I got to paint “plein air” from the comfort of Hidden Peak’s cafeteria. Even oil paints struggle in temperatures below freezing.
This small study on site became the reference for the larger painting.
