Denali rising and hearty male souls. . .

Denali Rising . 8" x 10" . oil on panel

Fortunate is the artist who has talented and well-traveled friends - especially those who are on the adventuresome side and often take the path - nor shy away from - inconvenience vs. convenience.  It's been my pleasure over the years to have the fond acquaintance of those who fall head first into the category of "a man's man."  You know, the hearty male souls who go after fish, game, ducks and whatever in the wilds.  Sure they can ride a horse, they can build a fire, they can knot ropes, they can COOK - well, you get where I'm going, don't you? 

 

I will say this - you certainly know when you are in their presence.  Without a doubt these hearty male souls are tender at the core and have fascinating lives.  They are so close to nature that it's a private religion - carrying their great respect and appreciation for the land into all that they do.  No nonsense kind of folk. . .kind, true and genuine. 

Gene Bias is smack dab in that category and he has given me permission to paint his photos from his Alaska trips.  Gene has an artist's eye. With a fondness and talent for photography, he has earmarked his travels and passions over the years.  My good fortune is a result of his generosity and craft.  Did I mention he was my daughter's English teacher in high school?  He's also a whiz at technology and consults about it across the globe. . .people have such interesting stories, don't they?

 

So I present to you Denali Rising as it was viewed by Gene and his salmon fishin' friend Steve on a glorious day around the end of summer 2012, and now painted by me and given my own particular signature.  Most often seen covered in snow, I really like this bare muscular mass rising out of the cloud bank. 

 

 Men on a mission to see and do. . .poetry in motion dwarfed by majesty.  They aren't IN the painting, but I can just imagine the profound reverence they likely felt looking across at such a sight - probably not a lot of words were spoken - they are not the type to expound on and on with flowery notions! 

  

Denali, the original Koyukon Athabaskan Indian name for Mount McKinley, is North America's highest peak (20, 320 ft) and calls the Alaska Range home.  It's the centerpiece of Denali National Park - 6 MILLION acres of wild land, bisected by a ribbon of road.  Takes your breath away, doesn't it?  Six million! 

I prefer the name Denali over Mount McKinley - more romantic, more exotic.  It means "The Great One" or "The High One."  Lovely in its simplicity.  There. . .there it is, the high one. 

This is another of  my "tiny jewel" paintings - those done with subtlety, smoothness and small highlights.  I hope you like it.