Leaning Forward Toward Colorado

My Watercolor Tribute to Trinidad, Colorado

I found Trinidad the most interesting Colorado town to date. It was wrapped in mountains, and the highways and railroads had to negotiate the rugged terrain. Most, if not all, of I-25 was an elevated highway twisting through the town . . .

From my Journal dated July 31, 2005

Since the year 2000, I’ve made thirteen visits to Colorado, and have recently re-read most of the Journals I’ve kept of all the visits. My first recording of Trinidad occurred in 2005, and in two weeks we’ll travel there to participate in Trinidad Artfest 2024.

I’ve been silent on the blog since participating in the second Artscape Festival at the Dallas Arboretum. The event was a success and I was grateful to participate in it. But as soon as it was over and I realized I had no deadlines till July 12, I felt a great burden lifted. After two months of grinding deadlines and appointments, suddenly I saw an opening of several weeks of calm before me. And the calm has been sooooo soothing!

Now it’s time to get back on the horse. I’m happy that I’ve been given a corner booth for the Trinidad Fest and it appears that this will be a smaller event involving 36 booths down the center of Main Street. I plan to hang the painting shown at the top of this blog, at the entrance of my booth. I’m also thinking of framing and presenting my watercolor of St. Elmo, never before shown in public.

Watercolor of St. Elmo

I’m also making greeting cards of these subjects, along with a plein air piece I did years ago while visiting Trinidad. The painting has long ago sold, but the greeting card I believe is worth checking out.

Watercolor of a Trinidad Residence

After the Trinidad event, we’ll push on to South Fork where we love to stay in a cabin in Riverbend Resort. The South Fork of the Rio Grande flows through the encampment, and I cannot wait to enter the stream with the fly rod and see if I can seduce some of the beautiful trout that reside there. I’m also hoping to renew my acquaintance with the pine tree that stands in front of our cabin deck. Every time I am there, I attempt to paint the portrait of this tree that exudes so much character and beauty.

Watercolor Sketch of South Fork Pine

I’m happy to be ensconced in the confines of The Gallery at Redlands this weekend. I was away from here for a couple of months, but I’m back for the second time this month and will return next weekend before traveling to Colorado.

Thanks for reading.

Tags: Americana, David Tripp artist, nostalgia, The Gallery at Redlands, watercolor