Queen's Bluff - a Minnesota Scientific and Natural Area

It's pretty amazing to have a state park nearly to myself.  It was that way yesterday.  I had to brake for birds bathing in parking lot potholes and taking dust baths on the gravel road leading into Great River Bluffs State Park, as if they weren't expecting tourists. The wood pewees were close as I  walked through the dense maple woods to a couple river overlooks.

I hiked the King's Bluff trail, about 1.5 miles through pine forests, upland oak woods and prairies, eventually reaching the overlook of the Mississippi River and Queen's Bluff, one of the best examples of a bluff prairie in the state.  It's dramatic west-facing side is comprised of native prairie plants and oak woods. This landscape features half-dome bluffs with sheer rock cliffs, steep valley walls, and rolling uplands. It's where the eagles fly!

Pictured is a pastel sketch I did mid-afternoon. I may go back at dawn or dusk on another day, just to see this view in a different light and decide about painting it. I can't wait! 

 

A Special Forest Slope

Yesterday was a fantastic field day! I had the chance to hang out with biologists in a very special habitat in NE Iowa - an algific talus slope.  Algific talus slopes are very rare and fragile habitats that exist only in the Driftless Area, especially in Iowa. Algific means "cold producing" while "talus slope" refers to collection of talus or broken rock at the surface. These slopes are typically north-facing, drippy, mossy, and quite beautiful. Cold air pours out of the rock crevices, keeping the environment in summer much cooler than most places.

One of the most interesting species found on these slopes is the federally endangered Iowa Pleistocene snail.  Biologists had known this species from ancient fossil records, but until recently, it was thought to be extinct. The biologists I was with yesterday are hoping to find new locations of this very small snail. We didn't find any on this visit, but perhaps a few more visits to the slope will bring success -  how exciting it will be to find this small, virtually unknown creature.

I didn't get any drawing done yesterday. I was too enthralled with the hunt for cold air vents, snails, and for the wonderful opportunity to put on my botany hat - in just a short while I had a list of over 35 species of plants, including the rare Northern Monkshood.  Monkshood is restricted to these habitats, so is a special treat to see.  It blooms a bit later in the summer - I plan to visit again to sketch this plant and others, and will post later.

 

 
 

White Pine Hollow, charcoal sketch, 7x11"

I discovered a new place this morning. After driving along highways bordered by Iowa fields in Dubuque County, I found the National Natural Landmark called White Pine Hollow - a forest with over 625 species of plants, most notably old growth white pine trees. The 700+ acres is a unique area  - white pine stands this far south are rare.  The population likely established here when the climate of Iowa was colder than today, and this beautiful grove may be a relict of what was once a larger population. It is an oasis of moist slopes, a quiet stream, and cool woods. The birds within the forest are those of deep woods - wood thrushes, scarlet tanagers, wood peewees, and migrating warblers.  According to the DNR webpage, the white pines are slowly being replaced by sugar maple and will eventually succumb through natural forces.  I plan to visit this incredible place again soon!

 

Beyond the Visual

Morning at Mound Prairie, 12x16, Oil on linen

 

Spring is bursting forth after a cold, wet April.  It seems one could watch leaves unfold just by standing still. I know how fast this sweet part of spring goes - it pays to get up early.

 

I am in high gear, finishing last season's paintings, and, well, the season's before.  This painting, long neglected in the corner of the studio, seemed to levitate to the easel on its own just last week. It is based on a small field study from last October.

 

I didn't make the connection right away, but finally realized my renewed interest in the scene. That morning back in October, I painted while listening to the calls of the white-throated sparrows on their migration south, singing their sweet tune: "Old Sam Peabody, Peabody" (see earlier post). Fast forward 6 months, and the sparrows have returned on their journey to the northern forests, singing loud and sweet as they scrap the ground looking for seeds. I have been listening and watching them through my open studio door for the past couple weeks.  So, it was the sparrows' songs that evoked that day on the bluff, not just the little field painting with its textures and colors, pale morning sky, and dark cedars invading the hillside. Painting outside stretches the senses: the feel of the sun, the smells that drift with the wind, and strongest of all, the sweet calls of a sparrow.

 

In a couple days, I will be heading out to begin a season of exploration and painting in the Driftless Land.  I am looking forward to the sensory experiences of the out-of-doors, welcoming the rhythms of spring after a long winter.  Stay tuned for paintings and stories from the field! 

 

 

 

 

 

Sketching in Pastel

Hemlocks along the Kickapoo

One of my favorite field methods is sketching with pastels - pure pigments mixed and pressed into soft sticks of nearly endless variety.  I pack a bunch of seasonal colors in boxes especially made for my Soltek portable easel for an alternative to oils and brushes. Pastels offer opportunities to explore composition, color harmony, and value quickly and efficiently. Plus they are just plain fun.  Here I am trying out a new (for me) homemade paper from a company called TwinRocker- a nice and heavy neutral grey and just right for ink and charcoal too.  Boy, I am getting excited about an entire season out there! This sketch is along the Kickapoo River in Wisconsin last summer; one of the few places to encounter hemlock trees and one of my favorite species. 

Deep Winter Eve

Winter skies are my favorite subject to paint right now. The deep pastel colors of blue and purple as darkness descends, clouds reflecting the waning light, the grasses contrasting in texture and color against the snow. Well, I could go on, but just so you know!  I cling to weather forecasts, waiting for the next "partly cloudy" evening. Painters are funny this way :). 

New Winter Boots!

It is nearly impossible for me to have warm toes and fingers while painting outdoors in winter. Recently I spent two full days at Weaver Dunes just south of Wabasha. In spite of mild conditions, even some sun, my extremities were numb, but I love the winter landscape so over the weekend I bought some new boots. The tag says good to -40F, but I'll be happy if they keep my feet warm for 2-3 hours at +32F.  I have been shuffling around indoors with them on with plans to head out tomorrow.  I have a lot of painting to do before spring, so I hope these work - stay tuned!

Bluffton Fir Stand State Preserve

 I took the weather prediction to heart last Friday and headed out the door with all my winter wear, paints and pencils, determined to break the cabin fever of late.  I wanted to visit the Bluffton Fir Stand State Preserve in Winneshieck County near Decorah, Iowa. I was hoping for sunshine, and a good spot to paint the dark firs and contrasting snow and rock.

I gasped when I first spotted the firs from my car, a half mile away. Their pointed dark shapes were striking against the limestone cliffs. From the top of the hill you can't see the river, so it looks like the corn grows right up to the bluffs. Dropping down to the river, I drove along the river road directly across from the firs, trying to find the best angle to paint the trees. The road was narrow with no pull-offs and the sun was yet to make an appearance. It wasn't like there was a lot of traffic; I had seen more turkeys than cars, but I hesitated to try to set up along the nearly non-existent shoulder. After exploring the area, I stopped in the Bluffton Store, where the young lady behind the bar, and her only customer told me there wasn't a good place to park to see the trees, except along the road I came in on. So, I have yet to paint this rare and unusual site, concluding it requires trip in the summer via kayak. Makes perfect sense to sketch from the river, looking up at the sheer bluffs and those gorgeous trees. I did, however, do a few sketches, and gave some thought about how to best portray this unusual place.

 The Bluffton Fir Stand State Preserve is a 94-acre preserve featuring a 140 foot limestone bluff that contains one of the largest populations of balsam fir in Iowa, a conifer typically found much farther north. I found out too that over 340 species of native plants have been recorded in the reserve with species like snow trillium, and bloodroot kicking off the spring bloom.  On the gentler slopes of oak and red cedar, one can find oaks and cedars with big-toothed aspen.Prairie plants can be found on a steep south-facing slope. I look forward to heading back, to do some botanizing, kayaking, and painting this spring and summer. Its a tough job, but someone has to do it.