Woodfords Canyon , effort for this year!

Ok,  this is my painting from this morning.  I have done this before, not exactly from the same location but similar I guess.  This is a huge canyon that hwy 88 runs up on its way over the Sierra Nevadas to the California Gold Rush country.  You could also get to Lake Tahoe this way, then go over hwy 50 to the gold rush communities.  This is the southern pass thru the Sierra Nevadas'  the pioneers took  as they tried to get to California and a better life.  This is where the small community of 'Woodfords is, and the west fork of the Carson River runs to the left of this field.  We have cattle here in the summer, but they had shaded up for the day under the trees.

I have had trouble getting this painted in the past and am not sure what about it I really wanted.  I love the meadow, and the trees in it are very big---but that looming huge canyon you see in the background draws my attention most of the time.  I like the contrast of the dark blued Mt. on the right compared to the huge rocky pinkish-orange one on the left.  Both are plenty high---and rocky.  The old timmers sure had a big job ahead of them when they started out across these mountains and must of been so amazed and happy when they made it to California!  This is plein-air---2 hours today, between 8 am and 10 am---on 8 ply matt board coated with PVA ,  and pumice, and the drawing was done with a dark nupastel, washed with alcolhol and let to dry.  Then the colors of the morning were put on as best I saw them.  It sorta catches the place as I wanted to I guess.   I will try this when it snows this winter!!