Currently Spinning —

I've been listening to the BROODS 

Here's their entire album on Soundcloud - 19 minutes of groovy chill music. 

I like it a lot. I actually LOVE it, & have been listening to this non-stop for like the past couple weeks. It's been the soundtrack to my June. Give it a listen! See if your ears like it!

Craft Art Project —

Soooo, for a fun "crafty project", I had two students (ages 5 & just-turned-7) work on mixing primary colors. We used different sized plastic cups as stamps to create circles with black paint, then painted the insides with color. It was so much fun, & great practice for working on "painting inside the lines". We also tried to use complementary colors to paint around the inner circles.

The finished pieces were pretty cool - looked like modern art you might see hanging in a museum somewhere. ;) 

Beartooth Mountains —

- REMEMBER TO EXPLORE -
today is the oldest you've ever been, & the youngest you'll ever be again.

Today a friend & I when up into the mountains, & did some kayaking at West Rosebud Lake. The lake is located at the base of the Beartooth Rocky Mountains. We did a little hiking too, climbed up some gigantic boulders & ate lunch. The mountains are so majestic & snowcapped year round - I'm always struck with awe at the sight of them - & even more awestruck with the One who created them. To put it simply, when I see mountains, I think of God. He's so awesome, He *created* the mountains. He owns the skies - & still He wants my heart… It was a really beautiful day, the water was FREEZING cold, (guessing around 40 degrees) but the sun was nice & hot. Perfect Friday.

"You are worthy, our Lord & God, to receive glory & honor & power, for you created all things, & by your will they were created & have their being.” Revelation 4:11

Sketches —

Here are some sketches from my Europe trip! All were done with ink pen, India ink, some pencil, & watercolors. I'm hoping to actually spend more time working on these pictures -  painting them bigger on canvas with oils. These are just fun studies. :)

"Azores Country Cottage" 9x11 watercolor/ink sketch.

"Cable Car Tracks, Lisboa, Portugal" 9x12

"Busy Intersection, Madrid, Spain" 9x9

"The Crooked Alley, Tangier, Morocco" 6x8

My trip to Spain, Morocco, Azores, Portugal, & Gibraltar

 TRAV•EL |ˈtravəl|
1 [ no obj. ] make a journey, typically of some length or abroad:

"All we have to do is decide what to do with the time given to us. We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, & adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have, if only we seek them with our eyes wide open." 

So. I recently returned from a rather impulsive trip. My trip lasted for 24 days. I traveled by cruise ship, ferry boat, bus, jet plane, gondola, car, and foot. I visited the Azores, Portugal, Gibraltar, Spain and Morocco. It was such an opportunity, I'm so thankful I was able to go….  Still can't believe I went!

The great gorge in Ronda, Spain.

I was blown away by all the history, the architecture, the people, the different lifestyles & customs. I'm still thinking about the amazing sights I've seen & all the neat people I've met. I'm thinking about these people going about their daily lives, an entire world away from where I live; so similar to me, & yet so very different.

"In your life you meet people. Some you never think about again. Some, you wonder what happened to them. There are some of you that wonder if they ever think about you. And there are some that you wish you never had to think about again…  

But    you   do." - C.S. Lewis 

Children playing in the warm Mediterranean Sea. Nerja, Spain.

That's the only thing that really bums me out about traveling. It's thinking about all of the amazing people that touched my world briefly that I'll probably never see or have anything to do with ever again. That, & the fact that I've just barely seen a tiny corner of the world - there is still SO MUCH that I haven't seen…yet. I've always had wanderlust but I've really got the wanderlust bug now. I don't think its ever going to be satisfied. ;) 

A door within a door & arches for good luck. Tangier, Morocco.

I'm thinking about the richness of life, & the thrill we get when venturing into the unknown - the anticipation, the uncertainty. It was exciting, I really loved it. I was drifting alone in a sea of people. I was unable to comprehend the languages that were spoken around me, I was unable to read & understand the billboard road signs. It was a humbling, funny & interesting experience. When passing locals on the streets, we would look at each other & wonder about each other but didn't ask or talk. Maybe a brief nod of acknowledgment was exchanged, along with a greeting of "buenos días or buenas trades, or buenas noches" just depending on the time of day. I know a random handful of rather unhelpful Spanish nouns, & I know how to say I don't speak Spanish or understand. (Something I had to say about anytime anyone tried to talk to me. Ha!) I can ask for a bathroom or a doctor, I san say yes, no thank you, etc. But I really didn't interact with too many Spanish people outside of hotel workers. 

Frigiliana, Spain. A charming seaside town built on a hill.

Spain has an unemployment rate of 28%. Portugal is 15%. Morocco is about 11%. All the cities I went to, however beautiful & ornate, had a slightly impoverished & dirty feeling about them. Even the rich people didn't have as much as you would expect, the poor folk has much less then you would imagine, but made the most out of what they had. Gas prices in Spain were around 1.44€ a liter or $7.25 a gallon. (Can you, if you are an American, imagine paying that much for gas? Makes the current $3-$4 gas price seem good.) So with gas in Europe being that expensive, everything else was equally expensive. I took around $300 cash for spending, I converted about $200 dollars to Euros & got about $140 Euros back. (The american dollar is worn less, so I "lost" money converting it.)

Oh, I did I tell you about the airport in Madrid? It was so nice - so quite! There were no annoying tvs to loud overhead speakers. It was a "silent" airport. I enjoy flying, & this was one of the nicest airports I'd really been to. So relaxing. (But I did get heckled twice by security. They gave me the "patdown" and searched my carry-on.) I don't think they liked my camera. Ha. 

"Backyard" of the Spanish Royal Palace. Madrid, Spain 

AND European restaurant service was so laid back & relaxed compared to American restaurant service.  It was pretty interesting. You didn't have the waiter coming by to check on you every three minutes - in fact, if you wanted anything, you practically had to wave your waiter down. & you aren't supposed to tip the waiters/waitresses over there. Apparently they actually get paid. 

Street of stairs, in Tangier, Morocco. 

And another thing I wasn't expecting was that *everyone* in Spain, Portugal & Gibraltar smoked. It's apparently a European thing. They all smoked & looked fabulous doing it. Everyone there dresses nicer. Smart street style. I don't know how they can afford all those cigarettes. (Everything was so expensive!) But it was pretty nasty. I cannot stand cigarettes or 2nd hand smoke. 

Fishermen off the coast of Morocco. 

Some people were friendly, others were not. Some were happy, others had a hollowed look in their eyes, as they scanned faces in the crowds, not seeing anything. I saw rich & poor people, gypsies,  businessmen, professional beggars, homeless folk - all intermixed with each other & perfectly happy to ignore each other. Just like anywhere, I suppose. They were all going about their daily lives, living their own life… We're all such curious beings. 

Cadiz, Spain - a beautiful city. The weather was really warm & dry.

… Traveling makes me think of when I was younger, I would spend hours & hours walking in corn fields & the woods -  exploring & searching for arrowheads. (I was a strange child, I grant you.) Whenever I did find an arrowhead, I always wondered about the Indian who once held the arrow. What was his name? What was he doing? How old was he? Where was he from? What did this land look like 400 years ago? Has anyone stood where I'm standing? Was someone here a month ago, an hour ago, a year ago, or never? I wondered the same things about the people & places I saw while traveling…  I suppose I'm so awestruck because I've never been anywhere so historic & far from home. I've traveled to 30 states, (20 more to go!) & until a few weeks ago, had never been outside the US. As an artist, I'm always curious about & constantly amazed by people's perspectives & lifestyles. 

Edge of the city & high country. São Miguel, Azores.

 São Miguel town square. Azores.

Lisboa, Portugal. 

The Puente Nuevo bridge, Ronda Spain. 

I'm thinking about the peculiar way people see things so differently from one another. I'm always wondering if someone has seen what I see. When you look at a person - any person, remember that everyone has a unique story. Everyone has gone though something that has changed them, & made them who they are today. I don't think any two people ever see the quite the same thing. It's interesting & complex. So much happens that we'll never know about or see! But the real things haven't changed. 

It is still best to be honest & truthful; to make the most of what you have been given; to be happy with simple pleasures & to have courage when things go wrong, to stand strong for what you believe in. People are people no matter where they live or what they do. 

The narrow alleyways of Tangier. 

I'm feeling truly blessed to have an awesome Lord & Savior, to belong to my rad family, to have so many wonderful friends, & to live in Big Sky Country! It's truly a wonderful thing to be alive. The world is a big place. Explore it. Look through key holes. Meet the moment. Live adventurously. 

"Travel is about the gorgeous 

feeling of teetering on the unknown." 

Morocco. 

So right now, stop whatever you are doing, (but you can finish reading this!) - Get up off your lazy bum & go outside, stand there in silence. Take in your surroundings. Look at the people. Look at the landscape or buildings. Look at the rocks, streets, look at the flowers. Look up at the sky & contemplate how awesome & meaningful life is. When we really stop to look, this life is pretty amazing.

"I want to travel across the world 

& breath the air of new places."

Coast of Africa. 

On the ship I met one of the few Americans, an old man named Sid, who hailed from NY. He was 87 years old. After the trip was over I gave him a hug, & he looked at me & said, "Time is now. Enjoy life." It kinda sad, because I doubt I'll ever see him again. We met, shared stories over good food & wine, left a few small footprint on each other's lives, then moved on.

Standing ON the Rock of Gibraltar! Took a gondola up to the top. 

Bird's eye view of Atlantic while standing atop the Rock of Gibraltar. 

Now I say the same to you. Time is now. Forget your age & enjoy your life. It doesn't matter if your 18, 37, 59 or 100! I'm 22. I don't know who you are, or if there's even anyone here reading this. But I want you to go out & enjoy the life you've been given. Be enthusiastic. Be Thankful. There is nothing wrong with loving the crap out of everything. Negative people find their walls. Never apologize for your enthusiasm - never. Live with purpose. Grow. Laugh. Party. Communicate. Travel. Think. Care. Love. Keep the wonder.

Soli Deo Gloria!
-GB

Inky Sketch —

This is a pen & ink sketch I did of a street in Madrid, Spain! It was so busy, there were people shoulder to shoulder on the streets… This was an interesting Y shaped intersection. I wish I could make the photo bigger, but if I did, it expands beyond side walls of the blog.

Working in monochrome tones had always been one of my favorites. I love charcoal & pencil!

Currently Spinning —

*na, na, na, na, better go it alone* 

lovely words.

Currently Spinning —

This is the song I've been hooked on for the past few days, purchased it on iTunes. The song lovely; both the instrumental part & the vocals, that come in about half way through the song….
 

"You taught me the courage of stars before you left. How light carries on endlessly, even after death. With shortness of breath, you explained the infinite. How rare and beautiful it is to even exist."

Last run of the season —

Pooooof.  

Today was my last day for the season. It was an amazing snow-filled year for Red Lodge Mountain. I'm sad that the season is nearly over - it ends on the 13th. But I'm really thankful that I was able to ski as much as I did. Skiing made the winter fly by. Can you believe it's April?!

My last day on the mountain was spent skiing all my favorite runs, skiing hard and having fun, taking in the views I've grown so fond of, chatting with lifty workers & the locals that are always skiing. I took lots of pictures, & hung out at the Bierstube after the day was finished.

It was a fun day. This season I skied all the named runs (with the exception of one run called Jones Park, that I kinda forgot all about!) …And got in some really good skiing on the "unnamed" runs that are scattered throughout the mountain. The cliffs off of Boomerang, the Kitchen, trials through the trees above Hellroaring Traverse, shoots off of Upper Limited that go down the Drainage - there was some good unmarked powder hotspots in Palisades too. There were other favorite places, but they shall remain a secret.

I've already bought my season pass for next year, while its on sale. Better get yours. ;)

——————————————————————————————————————————————

A SIDE NOTE: If you ski at RLM you had better check out the Turn, Petal & Burn Race. (If you haven't already!) It's an amazingly fun race that is about 12 miles long. A sort of triathlon adventure race, where you ski part way down the mountain, bike the rest of the way down, then run on foot to the finish line. This is the 4th year the race has been held. It was previously called "Grizzly Peak Adventure Race".  I competed solo in the past 3 races; getting 2nd place (in my age group) the first year, 5th place the next year, & 3rd place last year! Here's a link to something I wrote last year, about this race.

I had been planning to race again this year, but I'm going to be out of town… actually overseas, so I'm breaking a three year tradition! You had better go & race in my place. Not only is it an amazing race - it's the last chance to ride the lift up Grizzly Peak - on April 19th!

If you race, let me know how it goes!

Farewell Winter… Hello Spring

Ski days aren't like other holidays or sports. Once you've tried it, its hard to stop. Who would've thought that strapping planks of laminated wood, metal & fiberglass to your feet & diving downhill, could become an addiction? Ha! I love skiing. The Rocky Mountains are among the most awe-inspiring places you'll probably ever visit. When you are on the mountain skiing, you don't just stand & gawk at them, (or the amazing view), you engage with them; learning their many moods, testing your strength, & you develop a respect for the sheer power the mountains have…

A wonderful snow-filled winter has just ended. And an equally snowy spring has begun. Since January, 148" inches have fallen on Red Lodge Mountain. 38" of those inches fell since March 20th - the first day of spring. 15" of the 38" fell this past Sunday!

Bright & early, 5:58am Monday morning, my alarm started screaming at me. Most people dislike the startling "bbeeep! bbeeep!" noise the alarm clock makes. But I was glad to hear it. There was one thought on my mind: skiing! I was wide awake,  rolled out of bed, eager to start the day & excited to be skiing (& not working)! I got dressed, searched the pantry & raided fridge for food, grabbed my gear, hit the road, & got to the mountain around 8:45am… Skied all day long.

15" inches fresh pow followed by a bluebirdish day & 19 degrees is perfect.  

First tracks. 

Above the Palisades & clouds. 

Good 'ole E-4, back in Headwaters. 

This is me, from a different ski day. Photo taken by my friend Hannah. Thanks girl!

Dropping down into some pow.

By the end of the day, half my face & neck was sunburnt, my lips were chapped, my legs were generally tired, my bad knee was a little sore. Ha! 15" of powder is hard on the knees. I had skied hard all day Friday & Saturday. By Monday I was worn out. But it was totally worth it. ;)

All photos taken w/ 5th gen iPod. Edited on Snapseed. 

Beautiful words by Mr. Lewis

Teaching Art - Composition

So my students have been learning about composition. It was really fun teaching this to my 3rd - 6th graders. Here are some examples I did for the classes. I used a pencil to sketch, a sharpie to outline, crayons for coloring.

Finding the visual sweet spots — 

First I drew 3 examples on the white board. (I had them mostly drawn before the students got there. FYI.) I talked about good composition, vs. poor composition. (See photos below.) I also brought in a bunch of my landscape paintings & sketches for more examples. I had these scattered around the class room for students to look at.

Then after going over the dos & don'ts of composing compositions -  I had students divide their paper into thirds, using a ruler. Drawing two horizontal lines & two vertical lines across the paper, creating a nice grid. The 4 crossing points in the grid, become the "sweet spots". These "sweet spots" are generally good places to put a focal point, a change in compositional direction, a point of dark contrast or highlight, or other point of interest. I majorly stressed as students were drawing their lines that they "keep their lines LIGHT" because of course, when your drawing is finished, you erase all extra lines. 

Version 1. Middle? No. When designing the composition of a drawing or
painting you need to make it interesting to the viewer. Try not the place your
focal point dead center.  It's boring. Artist's no.1 no-no rule.

Version 2. A little better… Here change happens in the composition
when the focal point hits a "sweet spot" in the composition.
But it's not quote there - the horizon line is too close to the center of the paper. 

Version 3. The keeper! This composition offers a pleasing balance
while being more dramatic & interesting then version 2. The horizon line 2/3rds high.  

Here's a couple things I said as students were drawing: 

DO overlap objects to add depth to your drawing. 
DON'T place objects that almost touch or are "tickling" each others edges. 
DO group objects creatively - have fun!
DON'T balance equally - this is boring.
THINK about where your horizon line is - should it be in the center of your paper? 

Below is a colored drawing I did. When I normally draw, I totally avoid creating outlines. In real life there aren't any outlines around anything, right? So why should there be outlines in realistic drawings? It instantly turns any drawing, no matter the style into a "cartoon". << that's something good to talk about with students too. 

I did several fast sketches, all styled like the one below, with different compositions & subjects in them. I had my student chose which drawing they wanted to do - then they copied my drawings, found the "sweet spots" & designed their composition. Then they all colored their drawings. (I dearly wish I got some photos of their work - but I always get so excited & busy, that I forget to get out my phone to take photos…) Something I need to work on I guess!

Below is a really simple sketch I did of different types of composition — I printed these out & gave them to students. All my little compositions were inspired by Edgar Payne. I asked students to look at the various landscape paintings I had around the room, & see if they could spot any of these compositions within my paintings.

Types of composition: 

If you found this helpful or inspiring, please leave me a comment! I would love any feedback! Thanks! :) 

Fresh off my easel —

Here's an impressionistic painting I just finished! 40x48 oil on homemade canvas. Lots of texture instantly creates an antiquated feel. "The Woman Ironing", originally by Degas. 

This shows the colors better & awesome texture that is throughout the painting. 

Observations made during ski season:

● Your hair never looks good on the weekends.
● The highway snow-plowers don't plow the road I live on.
● No friends on a powder day.
● Ski socks are a fashion statement.
● It's only cold if you are standing still - ski hard all day long.
● I don't always make a fool of myself, but when I do, it's under the chair lift.
● Always look one gate ahead of where you are, keep your upper body pointed downhill.
● All the good songs play while you are on the lift.
● Duct Tape can "fix" just about anything, but won't look very good.
● All my friends think I'm crazy because I spend all my free time outside in the cold.
● Hand warmers are like the most awesome thing ever.
● Getting sunburn while skiing is worse then burning in the summer.
● Double black diamonds are a girl's best friend.
● Snowboarders aren't cool when they're sitting on their bums in the middle of the run.
● My knees will be like those of a 80 year olds by the time I'm 30.
● Stairs & ski boots don't go together.
● The Thermos is an amazing invention. Keep it hot. Keep it cold.
● A simple hello can lead to a thousand things.

Ages 10 &  9 - my little brother & his friends were my skiing buddies for the day.

Free Song -

Attention you music junkies! Here's a Kygo Remix of Ed Sheeran's I See Fire - I'm loving it!
 — Download free on Soundcloud: