TOUR OF MY STUDIO

Come tour my studio and see my works in progress....
Posted by Diana Cobb Ansley on Sunday, February 1, 2015

NEW PAINTING KATAHDIN AND THE LAST MILES OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL OIL ON LINEN 18 X 36

PLEIN AIR PAINTING KATAHDIN, BAXTER STATE PARK MAINE FALL 2014

Katahdin and the Last Miles of the Appalachian Trail
Oil on Linen 18 x 36

Last Fall Alexandra Tyng and I went painting in Baxter State Park, Maine and up the Golden Road.  I was inspired by the new book the Art of Katahdin by David Little and my nephew's recent 3rd climb to the top of Katahdin.  It is about a 10 hour climb. This view encompasses the last miles of the Appalachain Trail which ends unceremoniously in an opening in the trees on the Golden Road.  You will see thin, bearded hikers spilling onto the road.  Often there is a car with family members to greet them.  Their hike is not quite done as they then must cross over and summit Katahdin to complete their journey.  

We had the most amazing trip into the wilderness!!  One morning we left at 8 am and traveled down a logging road to a clear cut with a panoramic view of the Katahdin range including North and South Turner and Double Top mountains.  It was a cool crisp morning and our Maine Guide was intent on finding us a moose! He kept hanging out the window with his moose caller. We saw moose tracks, but as our guide explained the moose were in their rutting season (mating) and were often hard to find.

Moose Tracks

The expanse of landscape was hard to comprehend with so many stands of trees, islands, and ribbons of water.  There was a pale peach hue on the horizon and mist hanging and lifting below the mountains. I felt so totally privileged to paint this magnificent scene.  The camera failed at capturing the scene as it squishes the mountains and can not see the kaleidoscope of colors across the vista.  

The View

                                                    

So Happy Painting Katahdin from the Logging Road - This is what I love about plein air painting!

Alex and I perched in our painting spots with our Maine guide
 watching over us!

Katahdin was donated to the State of Maine by Governor Percival P. Baxter.
So I leave you with Governor Baxter's words above.....