June 2012 Denali National Park

SKETCHING DENALI

My husband Steve and I have been going into Denali National Park for many years, photographing and painting the dynamic landscape of the Alaska Range. During the summer of 2012 I was fortunate to be accepted into the National Park permit system as an artist. These sketches and notes are taken from my art journal. They become visual reminders of time and place, line, shape and color and simple moments of inspiration brought to life through the process of art. 

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The first day on permit found me sitting next to Igloo Creek during a rare hiatus in the rain. I set up a camp chair on a slab of candle ice at the edge of the creek; the same candle ice we harvest to place in our camp cooler. Igloo Creek had my full attention that day. It was magnificent throughout its course. 

Clouds created endless shapes across the landscape. This was a fast sketch before rain clouds darkened the landscape completely as the storm raged on.

Tatler Creek was a mass of waves popping and rushing over rocks and roots. Within a few days the creek would wash out the exact spot where I had been sketching. Makes one rethink there choice of "sketching spots." Whew.

Day number two.....torrential rain and floods. The park road was closed several times as culverts filled and streams threatened to overflow their banks. 

Glacially and rain charged water filled the space under the East Fork bridge. A deep rumbling echo rushing water and rock upon rock is not to be soon forgotten.

Much further west as the rain paused for a moment, a grizzly fed along the road. I had the time to sketch as he meandered up the slope slowly browsing.

It is difficult to express the charged atmosphere of a glacial river filling its banks to overflowing. This situation left me with a desire to work on all the intense grays that overwhelm the senses.

 

Highway Pass became my constant...the sinuosity of shape that draws you into steep-sided canyons wandering endlessly into the mountain front.

 Stoney Creek, a perfect mountain and valley composition from any point.....

Following the shapes of deeply incised drainages with a pen is pure joy.  I finished off several of these valley sketches as nearly complete contour drawings. I only occasionally lifted my pen off the page as I followed contours and shapes of ridge lines and canyons.

Stoney Creek....I could sit and sketch this view all day.

The variety of animals one sees in a single day is inspiring. 

Construction on the park road can be an invaluable bit of time to sketch a mountain scene.

In June tundra colors are constantly turning as the flowers reach up through skree and gravel, tundra and brush. Birds sing constantly, and bears that browse along the slopes of Stoney Hill seem to disappear in the landscape. 

Steve dropped me off at the Teklanika River bridge on the way back to camp. From the bridge a small trail worn by hikers and wildlife followed sloughs filled with gray glacial water. The river still high from earlier flooding, burbled and tumbled through multiple narrow channels. I found a place close to the water to sketch as the sound of the Teklanika River roared on in the distance. 

The earth tones of Cathedral Mountain lay boldly in contrast to distant mountains of the upper Teklanika drainage. The simple addition of watercolors to contour sketches defines distance and shape in this rugged terrain. 

Contour drawing of the mountain ridge lines to the south of Polychrome Pass and the Murie Plains. Once again using variations of gray to create a sense of distance.  

The glacial landscape of Polychrome.

In the landscape of Denali you can chose just about any starting point along a ridge and find an aesthetic line to chase.