‘The Silt Bluffs II’
February 26, 2012
The landscape of Kamloops, British Columbia, (native word meaning ‘dividing of waters’–the Thompson River divides mid-city to create the North and South Thompson), varies remarkably.
Think of a city at 1132 ft. elevation with homes built in terraced-layers down one mountainside and up another, all finding bottom along the broad Thompson River which attracted the attention of The Hudson Bay Company in 1811. Since then Kamloops has become a train hub, a location for gold prospectors seeking their fortunes, and more recently a centre for the forest industry.
It is arid here. Summers are hot and dry, and rain is an event. Winters are cold, windy, with average amounts of snow, and a major spot for skiers and snowboarders at the highest elevations. When I walk the dog at 5 a.m., I always hear owls and sometimes coyotes, and occasionally spot a few deer searching for something in the yards below the mountain ridge we hug up against. I’ve also come across black bear in the car port, and seen the evidence of moose.
This painting is of what’s locally referred to as The Silt Bluffs. They feature hoodoos, free-standing rock formations caused by wind erosion.
'The Silt Bluffs', 5" x 7" Original and signed Watercolour on Arches Hot Press 140 lb. Paper, $100.00 black-matted & framed in gold
The most prevalent raptors in our area are the Red-Tailed Hawk, Golden and Bald Eagles, Osprey, and Turkey Vultures.
weisserwatercolours 
Thanks so much 😉
LikeLike
how nice of you, Jen. My pallet is usually much more muted than this. I enjoy the subtleties of greys normally, but this was a fun change. Now back to the greys (smile). Your soul dipper is always full of cheer and our hearts are always being filled it.
LikeLike
I like works that are bright and vivid like yours. Nice piece..
And, thanks for the like on the bucket and dipper post.
😉
LikeLike
Very true, for sure.
LikeLike
Even though I do understand the why sunsets might give the same idea of a bush fire, it is sad when one can not enjoy a sunset anymore due to that thought.
Ciao, Francina
LikeLike
Thank you for your encouragement, Selma! Yes, a very striking spot–New Mexico-like. Georgia O’Keeffe would have adored this particular area.
I am enjoying your tribute to Women today, Selma.
LikeLike
WOW. What an incredible place. There must be something new to see every time you pass by. The colours in your painting are very striking and I really like the bird flying off. Very cool!
LikeLike
Your site is very uplifting and encouraging. Thank you very much, Subhan!
LikeLike
How very kind of you my friend. I am so pleased you are back in the saddle.
LikeLike
Very kind of you Kerry, thank you very much for saying so.
LikeLike
Thank you my dear Francina. There’s a lot of fire in your poetry! This painting has a hard time selling here because we experience forest fire danger every summer, and the sky reminds people of this. Sunsets don’t sell well as a result!
LikeLike
Oh thank you very much! I really enjoy yours also–and have the greatest admiration.
LikeLike
I’ve really been enjoying your blog so I’ve nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award, here: http://bstonehouse.com/2012/03/04/an-award/
LikeLike
A beautiful painting , Lance. The colours of the sky gives the feel if the sky is on fire. It also made me think of an volcano’s eruption. Maybe it is the way the rock are situated against the sky. The bird adds a tad of mystery to the painting . Excellent done.
Ciao, Francina
LikeLike
A beautiful painting, rich in color…reminds me of some spots in southern Utah…
LikeLike
Wonderful and (fast?) impression with lot’s of color feelings in there makes me wish more than you could imagine. The sheer expression of the paint is in itself a wonderful thing to see. Many thanks for posting it.
LikeLike
I only have one word for this: “Marvelous”. Well done on this! 🙂
And I’d like to thank you for visiting my blog and liking one of my posts. Hope you have a wonderful day! 🙂
Warm regards,
Subhan Zein
LikeLike
Thank you Russell, very much. I am enjoying your photos of LA
LikeLike
Beautiful and evocative.
LikeLike
Thank you very much, kofegeek, and congratulations on all your blogger awards!
LikeLike
aaaaaaaww..i love your rock effect 😀
LikeLike
this pleases me more than you’ll ever know. Thank you Steve Schwartzman!
LikeLike
I had the same reaction as Dou Dou: I thought immediately of paintings by Turner that I’ve seen in museums. Very good.
Steve Schwartzman
http://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com
LikeLike
Thank you very much for your encouraging comments, and helping me know that you also have these fascinating birds to marvel over. There are such an abundance, I hope in my next life I’m not born a bunny or gopher!
LikeLike
You are always so gracious–and give a lift when visiting your site.
LikeLike
Hoodoos are such interesting and amazing formations. This is a fantastic painting! I love eagles and recently captured a photo of a golden eagle in our area. In the winter, we also have hawks, bald and golden eagles. The eagle and fiery sunset are just beautiful in your painting!
LikeLike
You offer a picture in words and watercolor of a beautiful fascinating place, Lance, full of interest and the experience of nature.
Your artwork is stunning!
LikeLike
thank you friend–makes me smile
LikeLike
I really like this one. The colors draw me in.
LikeLike
holy smokes, dou dou–that has to be the ultimate in compliments.
LikeLike
LOL! Very true! 🙂
LikeLike
I do like birds but that is not why I like this painting. It reminded me of a Turner when I first saw it, same burst of life/ energy to it that you see in his paintings 🙂
LikeLike
Wonderful, Elizabeth. It is great to hear from you and see the connections from such a distance through the magic of social media. Yes, Revelstoke is not all that far from me here, and if you ever do come this way, please make your way to the historic Kamloops Courthouse on Seymour and First. It would be enjoyable to connect.
LikeLike
ha! Maybe beer was on my mind at the time of writing, it is so lovely and warm here in Florida, evenings perfectly made for dinner and drinks on the lanai! That is so funny…glad I made you laugh. I would love to attend the show and wear one of my hats! I’m thrilled people like them and if I did attend with an outrageous hat on you’d be able to spot me a mile away..with two beers in hand…or perhaps in a large purse….haha!! Have a great night, Lorelei
LikeLike
You’ve made my day ! I’m sitting here in Charlottesville Virginia–a long, long way from Kamloops and with Primroses blooming in the yard–and a friend who knows I go to my son’s in Revelstoke forwarded your blog to me. Little did she know the nearness of Revelstoke to Kamloops and all the wonderful memories your paintings evoke. I’ll pass along your comments about the summer heat in Kamloops to all my friends here in the South who think it is always below Zero (C or F !) in Canada. I’ve told them that crossing from Vancouver through the high desert in August to Kamloops, we passed through the town with the distinction of being the hottest spot in North America that day. I’m looking forward to following your artistic journey and writings and it may be that I can meet you in person one day on my travels in the area.
LikeLike
OF COURSE you will see them! (smile)
LikeLike
I would like to see your painting(s) if you do choose to use any of my photographs as subject matter. May of the shots I take are for just that purpose. One day, when I have room to spread out and make a mess, I hope to create some ‘fabricscapes’. Mother Nature is so generous in her beauty, it is hard to decide what to mimic.
LikeLike
that is very very gracious of you–I will be sure to let you know first if I am thinking of choosing it!
LikeLike
You are not alone. Spring is my favorite time of the year. I have lots more farm shots to share in upcoming posts. If you see something you’d like to paint, please, feel free. I’m sure you’d do it justice.
LikeLike
I wish I could play like you, Mark. Thank you for your encouragement. It’s always a good thing to have Dr. Who on your side.
LikeLike
Thank you ‘jackscrap’–and YES, when it’s high Summer and I’m on the deck, I simply look up and there will be hawks or eagles circling lazily, spying for prey no doubt. It is a delight. And there are always owls hooting at night, a sound I find haunting, yet brings me a feeling of security. It means the natural habitat around us is in balance.
I am enjoying your site and am just now exploring the floating Hillbilly Hilton.
LikeLike
Thank you orples! I so enjoy your Sunday Photo Challenge landscapes. The greens are so lush. Oh! I want Spring so badly!
LikeLike
Well, it ain’t Virgina, but it has it’s uniquenesses. I love seeing the setting you’re in. I love the history of Virgina and the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley. And I love your latest project.
LikeLike
oh thank you very much, nia. I love your posting featuring so much blue tones. You take so many lovely images and post them for us!
LikeLike
Thank you so much–I love your posting of the Wayfarer’s Church. The light and dark inside conveys that ‘hushed’ sanctuary atmosphere, I can almost smell the dark wood and stone and hear my echoing footsteps.
LikeLike
I wish you a good fire season this year. One of my friends in Montana is in the same boat as you, so I know about fires in the west.
Actually, the area around my family in Oklahoma had a bad fire season last year. And this year, the land is dry and the wind is bad, so it might be another bad one.
LikeLike
Lance you really make learning about your neck of the woods enjoyable. Oh and the art – yeah that too.
LikeLike
Sounds like the perfect inspiration for an artist!
LikeLike
Oh thank you Lynn, very much for stopping by and commenting. I am doing a commission of painting two horses at the moment and am very far behind in my visitations! This very dry and arid climate has one very important resource: our beloved Thompson River which is very broad and cuts a sparkling blue ribbon through this desert-like terrain. We also have many lakes, and alot of snow-laden mountains with their runoff. However, our gardens are restricted–we water every other day, and between certain hours. No garden ends up deprived, and we win the flower competition almost every year between among cities our size across Canada. Thank you for your question, and for visiting me again, Lynn!
LikeLike
Thank heaven for that, sandy. Every summer we wait to see what happens. We are backed onto a mountain ridge whose main foiliage is sagebrush and Ponderosa Pine which is usually tinder dry. Last summer we were blessed with intermittent periods of rain and so had no fires whatsoever–but usually around July, we begin to catch the whiff of smoke in the air and the haze and then helicopters hauling water buckets to and fro.
LikeLike
Thank you dou dou for being so gracious. I appreciate your re-blogging this painting. You sure do love birds!!!!
LikeLike
Thank you Boyd, very much! I am in the middle of doing a commission piece and am falling behind in visiting you!!! I NEED WAFFLES.
LikeLike
Thank you Melanie! These cliffs are more stable than I’ve painted them, and I will be doing another rendition and will include a photo this time for comparison. I get into the rhythm of the shapes and depart quite a bit from the actual when I paint this spot. I am enjoying the ‘finds’ of your trespassing adventures (smile). I’ll bet you were a bit creeped-out doing that.
LikeLike
hahahaha—not a ‘beer’ encounter—a BEAR encounter! One ought not to mix the two. If I’d come across black beer in the carport at 5 a.m., I might still be there. Thank you for asking about the show preparations! How thoughtful. I have submitted my two entries, and now wait to see what the jurors will do. The show will admit up to 80 paintings/pastels/graphite/coloured pencil/acrylic/oil/mixed media pieces, and they usually receive submissions of up to 125 or so, so not everyone’s work makes it into the cut. I’ll probably hear back mid-March, and the show is mid-April. Maybe you’ll come? Wear one of your new hat creations? That would make my day!
LikeLike
Thank you Shimon. I will tell you that when I visited Israel, I intentionally woke up at 5 a.m. and did a watercolour of the Old City from our balcony as the dawn very gradually lighted the sky. The lights on the walls, the gathering dawn, the slightly misty early morning air, and the much-reduced traffic circling the walls are so written on my memory I feel as though I were there at this moment. It made such an impression. If I truly want to remember a memorable place, I paint it on location at dawn.
LikeLike
hahahaha–you are great. I suppose if I were reading about werewolves all night, I wouldn’t exactly want to walk the dog at 5 a.m. either.
LikeLike
Beautiful picture – I love the warmth and feeling of space,,,, though I have to admit, I was having trouble getting past the “when I walk the dog at 5am,” comment! 🙂
LikeLike
A beautiful painting. What difference does it make, the times we enjoy in the day…? We all have our preferences, and I do believe that they are all good. One of the advantages, very early in the morning, is that there are less disturbances. I too enjoy the early morning hours…
LikeLike
Beautiful work Lance…and with that description I feel like I am back in Kamloops and 15 years old again! My sister lived there a long time ago, and another beer encounter! I feel a sequel to Dancing with Grizzlies coming soon! How are your show preparations coming?
LikeLike
Such splendid warmth in this painting. I love how the lines of the bluffs draw us in to the core of the heat. How stable are these cliffs in real life?
LikeLike
Lance, another beautiful painting. I love the warm colors and the feeling you captured in the flight of the raptor.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on dou dou birds and commented:
Love this!
LikeLike
I can see that, but it never occured to me. We don’t have a lot of fires here.
LikeLike
Beautiful painting, Lance, very evocative in the colors, the impression of that place. I can’t imagine how you garden in such a dry climate; do you store water runoff from the winter?
I love the idea of walking the dog that early; 5:30 is about my limit 🙂
LikeLike
thank you sandy. many here aren’t fond of sunset/sunrise-themed paintings because their colours are too reminiscent of forest fire season. while I understand that, it also saddens me some.
LikeLike
Thank you so very much, Vic. I was just visiting that wonderful photo entitled ‘One Man Band’. It just makes me smile and smile and smile.
LikeLike
Wonderful interpretation. Great colors. I’ve enjoyed it greatly.
LikeLike
Wonderful colors in this.
LikeLike
I love the look of those hoodoos, even saying the word, which has a whole different meaning where I come from, conjures up restless spirits that seem to be as menacing as that fiery sky in the distance. The raptors must really enjoy riding the thermals in this region.
LikeLike
Beautiful, so beautiful dear Lance, you are amazing. Fascinated me again… Thank you, with my love, nia
LikeLike
Thank you very much for taking the time–and for your encouragement, Graham. I’m still marvelling over the wonderful photographs you’ve devoted to the slate quarries. That is difficult terrain, and a challenging region to shoot. I just love seeing them, and in black and white most of all!
LikeLike
Wonderful work Lance. Love the fiery orange of the sky and the composition with the soaring raptor.
LikeLike
Great painting and excellent post 😉
LikeLike
Oh that is very sad, I suspect the deer may have been just protecting itself, but still our pets are just so precious to us
LikeLike
oh oh, now I’m nervous. Thanks alot Mags.
Actually, we do have to be careful. Little dogs have been lured into chasing a lone coyote, who then leads the unsuspecting dog towards the waiting pack. And recently we actually had a little dog killed by a deer! Its owner let it out into the backyard in the evening and an overly nervous buck cornered it and . . . .
Well, I’d be more nervous around Emus tell you the truth. That vid you posted spooked me.
LikeLike
Hi,
Beautiful painting, and I love the added touch of the bird, it just seems to make the painting came to life I feel. Really nice rock formations as well, looks like a lovely area.
I just couldn’t imagine taking a dog for a walk with coyotes around, have you ever had any trouble?
Black bear in the carport, that is scary, Emu’s don’t go into carports. 😆
LikeLike
Yes, you could. I’m absolutely sure.
I saw some watercolours paintings here, on your blog, and details of black grouse study of Colin Woolf. It’s amazing. I have the feeling that water colour is not my medium but, I give a try, I won’t loose something.
LikeLike
How very good of you to come by and offer encouraging words, Lisa!
Yes, 5 a.m. is when I walk the dog. 3:30 a.m. is when I begin painting. It’s a timeless time. The downside? I’m often asleep by 6:30 p.m.
LikeLike
You paint small icons, Cornel. You think I could do that? Um, no. Your gifts are great. I do hope you try watercolours for that reason.
LikeLike
Why do you paint so small pieces? It’s so hard…
These days I will try my watercolours. But I have no idea how to use them 😦 except knowing I need water and a piece of paper 😳 . A, and some brushes.
🙂
LikeLike
Thank you so much, Jane. I’m pre-occupied with getting a commission underway of a pair of Icelandic horses. I always get the jitters over such requests. I hope you are finally enjoying some down time there on holiday.
LikeLike
Wonderful balance and use of color!
LikeLike
Love the bird and the sky Lance. Knowing the area, I can feel the heat rising and the thermals.
LikeLike
walking the dog at 5a.m.! that’s early, but a great time of day to be out in the natural environment spotting the wildlife. A wonderful depiction, I think the addition of the bird makes it for me!
LikeLike
I’m very glad to hear you made it all the way across to here, Pauline. Newfoundland is the one Province I still have on my list. I wish I’d gone when I lived in Saint John–and now I feel so very removed. But you make me feel connected.
LikeLike
Lovely description of Kamloops! Visited many years ago. Like your painting, too.
LikeLike
thank you very much, Jesse–I certainly appreciate your continual encouragement. You are a great boost to the blogging community.
LikeLike
A very exciting image and description of a place. Sounds like you’re living really close to nature, Lance. Excellent work.
LikeLike
Your use of colour is so rich and evocative. I’d love to be able to paint like you!
LikeLike