The Paradise Valley is located in state of Montana in the USA along the Yellowstone River north of Yellowstone National Park. The view is into the Absaroka Wilderness in the late summer as a thundershower (more likely hail and hopefully not lightning) makes it's way out of the mountains. The Yellowstone River was below my view and not visible from my vantage point, the story is about the mountains and the ominous thundershower moving across the terrain. The late artist Russell Chatham painted in this area and most often did not include the mountains, rather, he focused on the river and the trees in most of the paintings of his I have seen. I wanted to capture the distinct appearance of the trees across the foot of the mountain in the spirit of Russel Chatham.

I am including the reference photo and my value study. I referred to the value sketch and not the photo while painting, maybe I should pay more attention to the photo, or not? Painting from a photo certainly has it's limitations compared to being outside. I think some of the loose style I am looking for is lost when I paint from a photo.

Paper is Arches 300# rough, 11 x 15, first time I have used this paper, picked up on sale quite some time ago and finally feeling more confident to use it. I painted wet on wet and I was impressed how long the paper stayed damp. Cobalt Blue, Light Red (Indian Red), Raw Sienna, and Payne's Grey. Large Hake Brush for sky wash, medium size mop for the rest.