boulders and rock formations

Mt Woodson Boulder Grouping # 18 Oil on Panel 8″ x 10″ 3/13/09

From on top of the mountain on the west side. An amazing grouping of boulders, I kept shaking my head while painting it that anything could be so wonderful! There are many trees here burnt from the fires of a couple of years ago, without realizing it I kept brushing up against one while painting and my clothing was covered in crazy charcoal marks. I hope to do another painting where these blackened trees silhouetted against the white boulders make for some powerful imagery.

Mt Woodson Boulder Grouping # 17 Oil on Panel 9″ x 12″ 3/07/09

Sadly, new non-painting work (from my medical animation freelance business) has been interfering with my ability to get up to the mountain, the good thing is it helps keep my art supply shelves stocked well.
This painting was done on the west side of the mountain, the trail up from the Lake Poway. This more complex view was worked on from photos a bit more in the studio after it was brought home (unlike most all the others)

This spot was well off the trail and far from any people. Working in the shade of a huge boulder made for a very pleasant site however after a couple of hours I started feeling unsafe – started thinking about mountain lions and I left sooner than later. I googled Mt Woodson and mountain lions and found an article in a local paper about a women who had an encounter with a mountain lion on that very same trail last fall. I know the chance of anything happening is extremely rare to non-existent but I might pick up one of those pocket air-horn things to give myself a little comfort.

Mt Woodson Boulder Grouping # 16 Oil on Panel 8″ x 10″ 2/25/09

Another afternoon view of a single large boulder. It is remarkable to me how the color off these boulders change so dramatically throughout the day. I am thinking I’ll explore this effect with a series of paintings of just one view of a boulder(s) throughout the course of day – starting with sunrise and ending at sunset, perhaps in 1 hour increments. Tough getting up there for sunrise but I bet it would be worth it.

Mt Woodson Boulder Grouping # 15 Oil on Panel 8″ x 10″ 2/24/09

A view from the summit – east side looking south. A serene spot with many fantastic boulder groups, a good distance from the many hikers, joggers and bouldering climbers. While usually everybody I meet up there are very respectful and nice people – it still never fails to break my concentration. I hate the feeling there is someone watching me from behind, it inhibits me in I feel like I’m performing.

However, one problem with this area is that to get to it I have to bushwhack along a deer path where it’s hard to see my feet sometimes. This will be a problem in a month or so when the warm weather wakes up the rattlesnakes. These boulders seem to make a perfect rattlesnake city and I’ll be the first to admit to a real paranoia about rattlesnakes. So as it gets hotter I will probably start sticking to the road in the hope to avoid stepping on one.

View of San Diego from Mt Woodson (# 11 of series) Oil on Panel 8″ x 10″ 2/19/09

A late afternoon view from about half way up Mt Woodson looking out to the reflected glare on the ocean silhouetting the San Diego skyline.