weisserwatercolours

About ten minutes from our house is  ‘Cinnamon Ridge’.  These are cliffs with very distinctive geologic caves and ‘hoodoos’ caused by wind erosion.  Though not around at the time (I was but a gleam in my parents’ eye) 50 million years ago, the Kamloops region of British Columbia (from the Native word Tk’emlups–‘where rivers meet’) was the source of great volcanic activity, and formed the seafloor of the ancestral Pacific Ocean.

Not far from Cinnamon Ridge is a loose shale shelf where my friends go to collect fossils.  These fossils indeed prove this area which is so very dry, was once water-covered.

I’ve now done two studies of Cinnamon Ridge (so named because of its rich colour).  The first is a small watercolour sketch about 4″ x 8″

'Cinnamon Ridge' watercolour sketch

The second is a more detailed and focused piece around 8.5″ x 12″.  It has some issues as far as values go (it’s a bit too light and lacking in contrast), as well as a composition issue having to do with the train signal being much too far to the left.

'Cinnamon Ridge' Study II

And here is the photo both studies are based on:

reference photo of Cinnamon Ridge

The final painting must be ready for hanging on May 1st.  So I am now about to do Study III, which will hopefully end up graduating from being a study to being worthy of mat and frame.

Painting is much like cooking.  Too little salt is as much a turn-off as too much.  Getting things just right wasn’t just a problem for Goldilocks.