The Art of R. Geoffrey Blackburn

2020: Certificate of Excellence
34th Artavita Online Art Exhibition
Art Expo New York

2017: Finalist
12th Annual International Guild of Realism Juried Exhibition
Winfield Gallery, Carmel-by-The_Sea, CA

"Pelicans Rising"

"One of the most beautiful spots on earth is near Jackson Hole, Wyoming in the Grand Teton National Park. I've visited there off and on since the late 1950's. During the early 1960's I was an alpine ski racer and raced both on Snow King Mountain (in Jackson) and on the newly opened Teton Pass. Now that I am a geezer I don't ski much so, my more recent visits to Jackson are more cerebral and aesthetically oriented.

In recent years, I have been visiting more frequently to explore the area to generate ideas and capture images for use in future paintings. Recently, I took a series of photos of the Oxbow Bend area-- a looping meander of the Snake River near Jackson Lake, with Mt. Moran in the background. Oxbow Bend is one of my favorite places. I have visited it several times over the years. An amazing variety of wildlife flourishes in Grand Teton National Park, including pelicans, elk, moose and just about every other animal found in North America. So, how can I resist the temptation to paint the area?  Answer: I can't.

I began "Pelicans Rising" in 2007 finishing April 2008. I didn't decide to put in the pelicans and elk until I was nearly done with the painting. Glad I did! It took 205 hours to paint. In 2012 I revised the painting adding shadows under the pelicans and completely repainting the elk.  I will be doing more paintings from the area!  Any excuse to visit the area.

I particularly liked working in a different color palette than what I use in my red rock art. It was nice looking at cool colors rather than the warm colors I usually use. Grand Teton National Park is truly astonishing. If you haven't seen it, you owe yourself a visit!"

R. Geoffrey Blackburn