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| Roland Lee painting at Cedar Breaks National Monument. Photo by Jean Bjerke |
Painting outdoors is always fun. But to spend an entire week painting en plein air in a National Monument is truly special. I was given that opportunity when invited to participate in "Arts Afire" at Cedar Breaks National Monument recently. The glowing red and white cliffs that cascaded down into the amphitheater at Point Supreme and Chessman Point drew my attention immediately. But as the week progressed I found myself equally entranced by the gently rolling fields of colorful wildflowers surrounded by groves of Evergreens.
Many people stopped to look over my shoulder as I worked along the rim, where tourists flocked to see the views. I cheerfully answered their questions and often agreed to pose with them for photos. The photo above was shot by professional Cedar City photographer Jean Bjerke, who caught my silhouette as the sun dropped behind the distant cliffs at Point Supreme. As the light faded and the brushes were put away, I headed for my camper to await the dawn of another day.
