64.  Original Plein Air Watercolor Painting, “Plein Air, 10:45am - 12:30pm, Cows by S 1100 E, 9.25.24”, watercolor, 22 x 30”, 2024

Location: Escalante, UT

Event: Escalante Canyons Art Festival

Event Awards: 2nd Place Overall; Artist’s Choice Award

Work-Specific Awards: 2nd Place Overall; Artist’s Choice Award

On the same morning that art was due, I was able to find the right cows and the right conditions to paint them. Their owner came over on his 4-wheeler as I was setting up, and I was given his permission to paint them. I started with the sky and lightest wash of ground, then went into the cows, leaving space for the highlights of reflected light on their backs (even on the all-black cows), then filled in the background hills and details around them. Lastly I painted the foreground grasses. This work won 2nd place overall, but more important to me, and my first such recognition, it won the artist’s choice award, a vote cast by the other participating artists.