Elk Refuge - Day 10

"Elk Refuge"

#10 of 30

6"x8" oil on canvas pad

$75.00

A mile or so north of the town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming is the National Elk Refuge.  Exactly one year ago at this time I was in Jackson Hole for a week and painted plein air all around the area.  As usual, I also took about a hundred photos and I just painted the above painting from several photos I took at this location.  It was late afternoon and the sun was shining brightly casting these long shadows on the grassy areas leading over to the Elk Refuge.  

In late Autumn each year, the elk from the high plateaus of southern Yellowstone County, Grand Teton National Park and the Teton Wilderness instinctively head down to the National Elk Refuge,  During the winter months, an average 7,000 elk make this valley their home.  The following Spring, their migration begins back to the high country, bulls leaving first followed by the cows heavy with their calves.  The cycle begins again the following Autumn as they make their way back down into the Jackson Hole valley.

Bet you didn't know you would learn about the migration of elk today, did you?

I am off to the north Georgia mountains in a couple hours for a long anticipated  two-day workshop with Atlanta area artist James Richards followed by a two-day plein air event.  I may or may not be posting anything while I am gone.  We will see how that goes!