Plein Air Painting at Soapstone Prairie

Gary Raham, artist, writer, scientist and educator

 Gary Raham says Friday is a good day to play hooky and do some plein air painting. Just to make sure it's OK and I don't feel totally guilty, it's sponsored by the City of Fort Collins, it's a real event, an Artists' Day in the Field, so I'm outta here. 

Artists' Day in the Field at Soapstone Prairie

Fort Collins is very supportive of its artists, writers, scientists, and their over all population, young and old. They sponsor a lot of free events to get us out and about so we get to enjoy life and meet like minded people.

Free Range Traffic Jam

I had never been to Soapstone Prairie and didn't realize how far away it is. I ran into a couple of free range traffic jams. Growing up with a family ranch in Texas where we kept our cattle safely contained in fenced pastures, I don't totally get this free range concept, although I've run into it several times.

Pronghorn traffic jam

And another traffic jam, Pronghorn this time, free range all the time, but this I get.

Soapstone Prairie

OK, we're finally here, hike in a ways and it's a wonderful day of painting. I meet several accomplished artists, all great people and realize playing hooky once in awhile is good for the soul.

Blooming Cactus

Me, Laura Young and Christine Torrez

We had beautiful skies, amazing landscape, enjoyed Gary's expertise and talk about the Lindenmeier Archaeological Site and expedition artist, Edwin Grey Cassedy and it was a wonderful day.

Thank you Gary and Fort Collins!
Now back to work for me.