End of Season, and High Treason.

Howdy folks! I hate to say it but Mt. Spokane had to take us all off the schedule due to lack of snow. Normally we have a longer season but warm temps and high wind gusts are melting all that is left up there. Our home mountain (Silver Mountain) is still open and getting snow. It's a little wet and a little heavy, but the powder has been phenomenal. We may go up again on Wed. or Thur. after they get another 6". (From the top of Heaven)

Kat and I have been challenging ourselves this season with some tougher black diamonds at Silver. One of my particular favorites this season has been a run called 'Heaven'. In the powder this run lives up to its name. It's about shifting that weight to a more centered stance when you hit the pow on skis. Shallow turns and big frickin smiles. I did want to post a shot of part of Mt. Spokane a couple weeks ago. (It was a beautiful bluebird day at Mt. Spokane in this shot).

This is getting off of chair five looking out towards chair 1. The groomers were tasty this day, and I ate up as much as I possibly could between my classes. I had my last day of classes last Saturday and I think it ended on a really high note. I had a group lesson of level 2's which was 5 people total and everyone had a really fun time. That's all I ask for, is for the students to learn at least one thing and to have fun challenging themselves throughout the day. Okay, so what in the heck do I mean by 'High Treason' in my title? I'm referring to my new piece! I can't wait to get started on this one. I have painted this subject before, but felt the comp was pretty boring. So, I am going to ramp it up and make it more dynamic. This is based on the cover of an old issue of the comic. This cover always stood out to me. (The subject is Cobra Commander from the G.I. JOE universe.)

I was pretty happy with the very first sketch I did of this. I normally do at least 3 and if I'm unsure I will draw it for a month. This time though, I really do like the gesture and feel of this one. I will make the eyes more intense in the painted piece however. I love the obsession in this piece. There is a total of six Cobra logos in this relatively simple idea and that's just what I wanted. I wanted to start this piece today but it will hafta wait. It looks like I will be going in for orientation tomorrow for my seasonal horticulture job! Looks like the garden centers and nurseries are getting ready to open up for what I'm thinking is going to be a hot and dry summer based on our lack of water/rain this year. I truly had hoped for far more days cutting lines in the mountains but am pretty excited for the change in season and getting back outside and around plants!