Late Afternoon On The Colorado

"Late Afternoon On The Colorado" - 16" x 20"- Oil on canvas Copyright 2011, Jake Gaedtke

This painting is of the Colorado River on a stretch between Hot Sulpher Springs and Kremmling, Colorado. I stopped on my way to Steamboat Springs to get references of this beautiful stretch of river. It's dotted with many fly fisherman who are trying their skills as the river meanders through a gauntlet of the splashing colors of cottonwood trees. Being mid-Autumn the river runs low and slow one can almost walk across it. The contrast of the warms and cools gives a more dynamic feel against the mood of the river's grace. The painting is reminiscent of the Hudson River School artists. Maybe we can start a movement called the Colorado River School.
This painting will be available at the Greeley Stampede Art Show running from June 23rd through July 4.

The Power & The Glory

"The Power & The Glory" - 9" x 12" - Oil on canvas  Copyright 2011 Jake Gaedtke

The sea is a never ceasing force of waves crashing to the shore and going out again. It's meditative cadence mingled with it's mist and salty air transforms my spirit into a blissful state of contentment. The crash and rhythm of breaking waves rolling and pounding into the sand is one of those sounds unlike any other. Like that of an elk's bugle or the rumbling echo of thunder. The foam reminds me of snow floating along the shore. I love painting these senses that only a pounding sea can create. It's power and it's glory!

The Clearing

"The Clearing" - 22" x 28" - Oil on linen - Copyright 2011 Jake Gaedtke

Sunlight breaks through and shines it's light on a cluster of trees in the middle of a mountain meadow. The threat of an afternoon storm passes but not without the glistening of sunlight glowing on the billowing thunderhead. The smell of freshly fallen rain permeates the atmosphere as it cleans the air and the sounds of Clark's Nuthatcher and Ravens announce the arrival of sunlight.
As I continue to work and meditate on the work I do I realize that my work is, more than anything else, about a sense of place. I often wonder why I don't approach art and painting in a more painterly way. That is, focus on shapes or color and use the subject as the vehicle for the elements in painting. I do see the abstract in nature and that fascinates me, and I search for and include those elements in my painting. But still there is that opportunity to bring to the viewer the emotional and philosophical elements that exists in a specific place that speaks to me in a profound way that motivates my work. Maybe even move people to a point that it has the power to change lives and find a deeper sense of self and our Creator.

Harvest Moonrise

"Harvest Moonrise" - 8" x 8"- Oil on panel  copyright 2011 Jake Gaedtke

Capturing the moon as it's rising can be very difficult. I spent the prior two days coming to this location to see where the moon was going to rise, so I could get the best advantage. I checked on the Internet to see what time the moon was going to rise on that particular day. As the moon was rising, it was already disappearing into the clouds. Wouldn't you know it. The two days I did my reconnaissance, it was perfectly clear and no clouds. But this moonrise was particularly dramatic with those clouds and I loved it. I only had about a 5 minute window to get the moon down on canvas with the color surrounding it. I painted it mostly from memory after the moon went into the clouds. Luckily I had my book light I use for nocturne painting with me. I attached it to my pachade box and was able to finish the painting on location. It was the reflection I was after, though. I believe I got it.

Aspens Ablaze

"Aspens Ablaze" 16" x 12" Oil on canvas copyright 2011 Jake Gaedtke

This is a small studio painting I recently finished of an aspen grove I came across in Rocky Mountain National Park. The aspens were so tall and the leaves were throwing off all those brilliant Fall colors. Yellows, oranges, ochres were permeating the atmosphere. Contrasted by the blue of the sky and background mountains made the colors even more intense. It was like this inferno of seasonal chroma just exploding everywhere.

One of the challenges I find in painting aspens is trying to get that characteristic of the leaves. Quaking aspen leaves twirl and turn and against the sun they glimmer like jewels. It's like turning a diamond in the light and the glitter shows off the sparkle. The aspen leaves do the same thing and it's so hard to capture that animation. Many artists who paint aspens show just the big shape of the leaves as a whole, and that's okay, but I like the individual leaves as well as the big shape, because to me, it's those leaves that attract me to the aspen tree.

This painting will be exhibited in the upcoming Colorado Governor's Art Show in April.

Art Of The Landscape

There is a show coming up that I am particiapting in and very excited about. It's called Art of the Landscape at my Denver gallery Arts at Denver. It opens Friday night October 22 from 5 - 8pm. The show includes four of the gallery landscape artists David Mayer, Carol Jenkins, Brenda Hendrix, and myself. There is a variety of styles amongst us making it a very intersting show. I worked hard on it and hope it is well received as anyone would. If you can't make it to the opening, maybe you can stop by sometime during the week and check it out. Many of the paintings I did came from one of my favorite places to paint; Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. This is an area that is so prestine and delicate., and drop dead gorgeous. I think it's prettier than Rocky Mountain National Park on some levels. I certainly hope you enjoy these new works.

"Colorado Country-Indian Peaks"

24" x 24"

Oil on canvas

"Morning Shadows"

18" x 18"

Oil on canvas

Fall Continued

This has been one of the best Autumn seasons we have here in Colorado in a long time. Because of the warm weather that has been lingering, the season has been extended and the colors have been taking their time leaving (no pun intended). This has given me plenty of time to get out and do some painting and capturing resources for fall paintings to come. It's been absolutely wonderful. I went up to Rocky Mountain National Park a couple of times last week with my good friend JohnTaft to get some painting in. I also spent some time painting in Allenspark and Wild Basin area of RMNP. This is a continuation of my last blog where I described the season and why it is so special. I'm posting a few of the paintings I did during this special season. I have never been that fond of painting aspen trees. I like the cottonwoods because they have so much character to them and they are massive and beautiful trees. Their shapes are varied and are so much fun to paint. This season, I forced myself to really get more aqauinted with the aspen trees and get to know their characteristics and as I did I became more fond of them and found them especially intersting. I have a new found appreciation for the aspen tree.

"Aspen Cluster"

10" x 8"

Oil on cnavas

"Early Morning Aspens"

10" x 8"

Oil on canvas