Logan Pass Sunrise, 9” x 12”, pastel on archival board
A few weeks ago, my husband and I were up at Logan Pass (in Glacier National Park) to watch the sunrise. Our alarm went off at 2 am and we left the house by 3 for the almost 2-hour drive to the top of Going to the Sun Highway. We arrived before dawn and I quickly picked a scene that inspired me to paint. I set up my easel and started blocking in the shapes of the mountains and the valley below. We were lucky and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky—the sunrise was spectacular. It lit the lavender mountains in shades of vibrant peach and pink.
The bighorn sheep were an unexpected surprise. At dawn, they came up the road to the parking lot. A herd of about 8 sheep meandered around us, in no hurry. What an amazing photo experience. I couldn’t bring myself to stop painting—I was in the zone—but I did manage a couple of photos when a big male posed right next to me. It was apparent that these bighorns were comfortable around tourists and painters alike, they seemed almost tame. As the herd moved into the parking lot where I was painting, they licked the asphalt. I assume for the salts. One even licked the side of our truck.
John, my wonderfully supportive husband, was my right hand guy. Taking photos and video of me while I worked. Be sure to turn up the sound. The beautiful background music is John’s original composition inspired by this early morning adventure.
