Too much smoke, but a few cooler days at last

 
Congratulations to Heidi Snyder, who has been appointed an artist instructor in graphite and colored pencil for the School of Botanical Art and Illustration at Denver Botanic Gardens. May your classes fill!

“From Platte to Peak” will hang at Garden of the Gods Visitor Center on September 2. Participation was good: 41 works representing 29 species collected by Dr. Edwin James on the 1820 Stephen H. Long scientific expedition to the west. Thank you to all the artists. Do drop in for a visit and see the exhibit.

Echo Lake Lodge on Mt. Evans is open, as is Echo Lake Park. While you can’t drive up to Mt. Goliath, you can have a nice hike or stroll and lunch (inside or out) at the Lodge.

It’s Officially the Last Minute: Only 4 Days Left

 

“Platte to Peak” Deadline Approaching at Warp Speed. Round ‘em up, scan ‘em, get ‘em submitted, Saturday, August 15, at OnlineJuriedShows by 11:59 pm. We are excited to see the outcome! If you have been unable to get the prescribed frames, check with Teresa Burkert or Judy Vanderbosch, who have a couple extras and will sell at cost. Any blonde wood or bamboo frame will cut it, but get your artworks submitted now.

Member August meeting may be what we get when turning in works for FP2P. Maybe the Board will space-meet… Watch this space for possible further details. I myself miss everybody, but will wave and air-hug from a safe distance until whenever.

Exhibit Deadline Looms; Full Moon Monday

Words Still Fail. Keep track at this site. Professionals gathered and prepared this information.

Guanella Pass - Mt Bierstadt. Take the drive from Georgetown and have a view of the amazing alpine flowers in the meadows and along the roadway. It’s gorgeous.

…And the Long Expedition Passes Out of Colorado. On July 17, a section of the party camped at now-Canon City, having ascended Beaver Creek into the Canon City Embayment and the Royal Gorge. Descending the Arkansas River to the now-Rocky Ford area, camping there July 21 – 23, after which the expedition spilt into two parties, one following the Arkansas into Kansas, and the main body led by Long crossing the river into then-New Spain. On July 28 the party passed beneath Black Mesa and into now-New Mexico.

“From Platte to Peak” entry deadline looms on the horizon in 15 days! The Call for Entry is at Online Juried Shows, and closes August 15, 2020. Martha Narey is the contact for the James Plant List and supporting materials. We expect the exhibit to hang on September 2 in Colorado Springs at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center. Send in your pieces!

PhytoFireworks Penstemon Display Amazes at Empire Cemetery This Week

Words Still Fail. Keep track at this site. Professionals gathered and prepared this information.

July Celebrations.

July 1 -- Go, Canada! Canada Day.

July 4 -- Hey, Hey, USA! Independence Day.

 

July 14 – Vive la France! Bastille Day.

Continuing with the Long Expedition. On July 5, explore the lower reaches of Clear Creek up to about Ralston Creek, and camp just above the confluence with the South Platte. Very busy on July 6 and 7, visit the “Chasm of the Platte” (now Waterton Canyon), camping at Kassler. Pass east of the Dakota Hogback to ascend West Plum Creek past the Buttes and check out the Bear Creek – Perry Park area for a couple days.

Palmer Lake was a landscape feature in Long’s day. Descend Monument Creek and camp at the Air Force Academy and find your Columbine on July 10, cross Fountain Creek on July 11 to continue southwest and camp at Rock Creek, then set up for a few days just below now-Fountain. Enter the mountain front at now-Manitou Springs, and ascend Ruxton Creek to approach Pikes Peak, making the summit on July 14; spend the night on the trail, hurry southwestward to the confluence of Turkey Creek and the Arkansas River. Look across the river into then-New Spain and set up housekeeping for a couple days here. Be sure to keep track of your collected mineral and plant specimens…

These sites occupy diverse ecosystems: Lowland Riparian, Plains Grassland, Foothills Shrublands, Mpuntain Riparian, Mountain Grasslands, Lower and Upper Montane Forests, Subalpine Forest, Alpine Tundra, and Pinon-Juniper Woodland.

“From Platte to Peak”. Illustrate type plant specimens collected by Dr. Edwin James during the first actual scientific expedition to the western High Plains, led by Major Stephen H. Long, during the summer of 1820. Many plants are familiar and widely dispersed, and you may already have some finished pieces that fit the size limits. The Call for Entry is at Online Juried Shows, open now and closing August 15, 2020. Martha Narey is the contact for the James Plant List and supporting materials. We expect the exhibit to hang on September 2 in Colorado Springs at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center.

Midseason Wildflowers Now Appearing

Words Fail. Perhaps a look at this site. Professionals gathered this information.

 

Member Meeting. You may have noticed that the June meeting and workshop for RMSBA was cancelled. Hope to see you in September. Check this space for any announcements.

Art Supply. In support of all our efforts, we do need supplies and materials. Dick Blick and Utrecht are still shipping, as is Jerry’s Art-a-rama, if your Editor’s email inbox is an accurate indicator. Check the Guiry’s in your area for hours and access; most stores are open now but some have restrictions. Meiningers in Denver and Colorado Springs open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm. If shopping in person in any store, expect limited numbers of customers and wear your mask.

Now’s the Time. The Long Expedition entered what would become Colorado on June 26, 1820, and departed to now-New Mexico on July 28, 1820. Now is the Field Season of the James Plant Collection, so if you want to follow along, start on US-6 just north of now-Julesburg last Friday and follow the South Platte upstream; by tonight you should be camping on the right bank [east side] of the South Platte just below the mouth of Bijou Creek. On July 2, cut overland from now-Kuner to now-Evans, and then spend the night of Independence Day just south of now-Brighton! All these sites are in Lowland Riparian and Plains Grassland ecosystems -- next up, Foothills Shrublands.

Northern Colorado Counties

“From Platte to Peak”. Illustrate type plant specimens collected by Dr. Edwin James during the first actual scientific expedition to the western High Plains, led by Major Stephen H. Long, during the summer of 1820. Many plants are familiar and widely dispersed, and you may already have some finished pieces that fit the size limits. The Call for Entry is at Online Juried Shows, open now and closing August 15, 2020. Martha Narey is the contact for the James Plant List and supporting materials. We expect the exhibit to hang on September 2 in Colorado Springs at the Garden of the Gods Visitor Center.

Herbarium Access seems to be severely limited everywhere for personal visits, so we recommend that you find out ahead which herbarium sheets you might want to examine and try to set up an appointment with that particular collection. Start at the Consortium of Southern Rocky Mountain Herbaria website and select the indicated collections.

Enter the location info and the scientific name of a plant and display the list. Much information is offered by clicking on that name within the list: many photos and the botanical descriptions. Clicking on the Large Image offers a closeup view of the herbarium sheet and great structural detail.

A Loss Indeed. On March 10, 2020, Jack L Carter, Botanist and Professor Emeritus of The Colorado College and for whom the Herbarium at CC is named, walked on at age 91. His work and publications are familiar to most botanical artists in RMSBA, and he will be particularly missed by Marj Leggitt and Susan Rubin, to whom he was mentor and teacher.

Irises are Bounteous; Here Come the Roses and Prickly Pear

Too many, too many. We all ought to be able to do better than this.

Member Meeting. The June 28, 2020 meeting and workshop for RMSBA is cancelled. Hope to see you in September. Check this space for any announcements.

“From Platte to Peak”. Illustrate type plant specimens collected by Dr. Edwin James during the first actual scientific expedition to the western High Plains, led by Major Stephen H. Long, during the summer of 1820. Many plants are familiar and widely dispersed, and you may already have some finished pieces that fit the size limits. The Call for Entry is at Online Juried Shows, open now and closing August 15, 2020. Martha Narey is the contact for the James Plant List and supporting materials.

Interesting graphics. Click this link, it’s animated. How quickly things can change…

NOTE: Abbreviated posting due to email hijack still unrectified.

Are You Ready for Spring? Got Scarlet Runner Beans?

Gaura mollis - Velvetweed

“From Platte to Peak”. Illustrate type plant specimens collected by Dr. Edwin James during the first actual scientific expedition to the western High Plains, led by Major Stephen H. Long, during the summer of 1820. Many plants are familiar and widely dispersed, and you may already have some finished pieces that fit the size limits. The Call for Entry is at Online Juried Shows, open now and closing August 15, 2020. Martha Narey is the contact for the James Plant List and supporting materials.

Cabin Fever? Here’s a VirtualFieldTrip^TM to the RV & Motorhome Museum in Elkhart, Indiana (https://www.rvmhhalloffame.org). Feast your eyes on some truly marvelous early magic carpets, er, escape vehicles at this exhibit address. Just ‘cause you’re stuck (hey, it could be an electronic ankle bracelet) doesn’t mean you can’t drool over a birch interior instead of Formaldehyde-laced particle board. Take yourself on a short instructive vacation.

Tagawa Gardens RMSBA Sale and Show is Cancelled! So we won’t be haulin’ our stuff out to the Southeast margins in July. Too bad! All classes and events at Tagawa have suffered this same fate.

4/22 Earth Day. 50^th Anniversary of Starting to Pay Attention. Unfortunate national case of ADHD…

4/20 Denver. This year I did not notice a soft gray cloud dissipate above Civic Center Park at 4:20 on 4/20. Stayin’ at home…

Leaf-out Progresses; Hyacinths and Tax Forms Proliferate

The US Curve 

Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Wipe down surfaces. Let's stay healthy.

Drought is a problem for groundwater supplies for agriculture and surface (root zone) supplies for horticulture and natural vegetation. South America suffers from pronounced deficits, and plant life is likely to face great stress.

Crocus & Daffodils, Forsythia & Plum – Spring Blossoms Out Now

CO-NM close-up

Out In LalaLand is published a commentary suggesting that just looking at the word “calm” has, indeed, a calmative effect. Here is an ink sketch of the aforementioned word; feel free to criticize, evaluate, or submit your take on it.

IRS Logo

Business? Help. Your art business might benefit, at least for insurance purposes, from an end-of-year studio inventory. Artwork Archive offers tips. Yes, we know it’s the beginning of the second quarter; what else are you doing?

Images for Artists. Vanessa Martin advises us she has shifted from making journals to making masks. Nice, Vanessa! FYI, if you are microwave-sanitizing your cloth masks, it’s 3 minutes on regular or 2 minutes on high for cotton. Other fabrics unknown…

Karen May confesses that her second-favorite thing is needlepoint – we already know her First Thing is exquisite watercolor. She sends a new pattern going down.

“From Platte to Peak”. Illustrate type plant specimens collected by Dr. Edwin James during the first actual scientific expedition to the western High Plains, led by Major Stephen H. Long, during the summer of 1820. Many plants are familiar and widely dispersed, and you may already have some finished pieces that fit the size limits. The Call for Entry is at Online Juried Shows, open now and closing August 15, 2020. Martha Narey is the contact for the James Plant List and supporting materials.

 

Member Meeting. The April member meeting is CANCELLED. More information will follow.

Gathering of the Guilds Show & Sale is POSTPONED to Sunday, October 4, 2020, 10am to 4pm, American Mountaineering Center, 710 10th Street, Golden, CO. Save the date; enjoy the extra notice.

Art Supply. In support of all our efforts, we do need supplies and materials. Check the Guiry’s in your area for hours and access. Dick Blick and Utrecht are still shipping, if your Editor’s email inbox is an accurate indicator. Meiningers in Denver has curbside pick-up available, Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am-2pm.

Memories. Back during the run-up to Y2K, your Editor was teaching at a Great Plains institution of higher learning and working on a long-distance relationship in Denver. Spouse and I conversed by telephone every night we weren’t together (thank you, Amtrak), and from time to time had dinner together from afar. We relied on voice, as Skype and its ilk had yet to be developed, e-mail was buffered from Pluto, and SmartPhones had yet to overtake the culture. Reach out. Share something for Coffee Break or Happy Hour and keep in virtual touch.

Interesting graphics. Click this link, it’s animated. Then we can think about what we wash our hands with, should we be so unfortunate as to live in a county where the water supply is too polluted to drink.