Wallowa Fields - Oil Painting near Joseph, OR

Wallowa Fields - 6x6 - Oil on Ampersand Gessobord

Chief Joseph Mountain guards the horizon in this meditative view found on Google Street View. It's getting a bit too late this year to make a trip to that part of the Northwest, just because I'm an utter wimp when it comes to the cold!

Teanaway Dusk - Sunset in Eastern Washington Painting

Teanaway Dusk - 5x7

There is something special about the Cle Elum area. I had so much fun tromping around, taking pictures, being amazed by the landscape, basically heaven. What I love about this area is that unlike the arid shrub steppe area I live in (and do love), the Teanaway area is this interesting place where evergreen forests and desert collide in a spectacular way. The weather is fairly warm and dry (for the Pacific NW), but you still get that clean mountain air! 

Last Light on Teanaway Ridge

Last Light on Teanaway Ridge - 5x7 - Oil on Ampersand Gessobord

My friends, this month has been a lesson in the power of inertia. I've been working on some larger pieces, and planned on posting a few paintings a week here, but good habits, like posting daily, are much easier to lose than bad ones, like eating one's body weight in ice cream!

But on with the art! I really like the proportions of a 5x7 painting, it's a nice medium width; not too long, not too square. This painting captures the last rays on Teanaway Ridge outside of Cle Elum, Wa. The ridge has a very distinctive shape, providing a great backdrop for the  vast range lands in the Teanaway Valley.

Road to the Wallowas - Eastern Oregon Eagle Cap Painting

Road to the Wallowas - 5x7 - Landscape

Despite not even visiting yet, Joseph, Oregon, is on my short list of places I could see living. It's temptingly located close to the Imnaha River Valley (another spot I'd like to see in person), Hell's Canyon, the Blue Mountains and the Wallowa Mountains! That's a lot of painting material. Seeing as I can't stand the cold, however, summer trips to the area may have to suffice!

This painting was painted from Google Maps Street View, there are some gorgeous mountain views in HD around the Joseph/Enterprise, Oregon, area!