Plein Air Painting in Zion

I had Zion Natural History Association Board meetings in Zion on Saturday and took advantage of the great weather to do a little sketching and plein air painting after the meetings. It's like Christmas morning for me to be turned loose in the canyon with a couple of hours to burn. So, packing my sketchbook and portable paint kit I hopped from trail to trail, trying to soak it all in, and grabbing sketches as I went.


Ahhh, now this is the way to spend a Saturday afternoon! Parking my truck near the Zion Canyon turnoff, I set up my Anderson easel and folding chair on the west side of the river to grab this little sketch of Twin Brothers and Mountain of the Sun.



From the same location I did this little sketchbook study of a small pinnacle looking back toward Bridge Mountain.


Nice afternoon lighting on the Sentinel caught my attention, and I set up long enough to do a quick watercolor Sketch from the Pa'rus Trail bridge.



Following the river on foot I snapped some photos and sketched near the Court of Patriarchs.


Just for good measure, here's a sketchbook drawing I did earlier of Angels Landing from the trail. Now that's a hike you do not want to miss!