First time in Colorado, Charles Partridge Adams Award

I am truly honored to receive the Charles Partridge Adams award for painting - 'Moment of Enchantment' for the best representation of Rockies Park. A big thank you to judges Carol Jenkins and Dave Santillanes for the honor. It is a beautiful show in a beautiful place!

I spent a good amount of time exploring and hiking around trying to get a feel for the area. With so much variety from lush valleys to alpine tundra, the multitude of choices for painting were everywhere.

Eventually, I've decided to drive on Old Fall River Road... Opened in 1920, Old Fall River Road earned the distinction of being the first auto route in Rocky Mountain National Park offering access to the park's high country. The road follows a route traveled long ago by Indian hunters, who came to the park area in search of its abundant game. Awaiting there is the Fall River Cirque, the birthplace of glaciers that once worked their way up and down the mountain valleys.

I stopped numerous times to hike along the river finding a number of beautiful places. Eventually going up the road I came on to a place where the first signs of change dictated by the higher elevations started to be noticeable. I hiked as far as I could go safely along the water until I came to a waterfall in the narrow carved path through the rocks by the force of nature.

So much of this place was a snapshot of everything I'd seen when hiking around: the mountain ridge that you can see through the trees, the tall candle-like sub-alpine fern at different stages of their life cycle, the mountain river with numerous waterfalls and giant granite boulders.This place felt remote and pure with all of the distinct character of the Rockies.