Holiday Party December 5th 2009

New Featured Artist- Shane Duerksen

Shane Duerksen

Into the Night

Shane Duerksen divides clayboard’s dark India ink from its light China clay, atom by painstaking atom, blunting an X-acto blade per wildlife portrait. Reaching deeply beneath the shallow chaos of Darkness, Shane draws forth the majestic light of an animal’s Soul into it’s first day, creating harmony and beauty that evoke profound emotions.

His Majesty

About Clayboard/Scratchboard

Clayboard art is a relatively new art process that has evolved from earlier techniques such as wood engraving and etching. Used for illustrating books, magazines, newpapers and advertisements, the processes were time consuming and as a result modern Clayboard was introduced.

Clayboard is a board coated with a thin layer of white China clay. India ink or paint is then applied over the layer of clay, either by the artist or the manufacturer. The actual process involves scratching or scraping away the ink layer to reveal the white. There is no erasing or each mark is permanent.

Vanishing Point

Himalayan Princess

High Mountain Majesty

Grizzly

Golden Eagle

Ebony & Ivory

Dragon Eclipse

Crum Patrol

Shane Duerksen, a Colorado native, grew up with the Rocky Mountains in his backyard. His fascination with wildlife and art began at an early age and has transpired over the years into his work.

Shane worked as a commercial sculptor and illustrator after he graduated from the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design in 2002. By 2007 he decided to dedicate his full attention to wildlife art.

Shane is an active member of the Society of Animal Artists and the Artists for Conservation. He has won numerous artistic honors and his work has been featured in national and international publications and museums.

Wolf

Vantage Piont

Pink Peek

Lions of Tsavo

Flow

Eagle Owl

New Featured Artist-Peter Eades

Peter Eades

Trained in both Zoology and Biological Illustration, Peter Eades has devoted his career to capturing the beauty and drama of nature in his paintings and photographs. He spends many hours observing and photographing wildlife in the Rocky Mountains where he grew up. These wilderness experiences are the inspiration for his wildlife paintings which have received national recognition. In 1995 his painting "Moose in the Mist" was selected for the Wyoming Conservation Stamp and Print. His paintings have been exhibited in the prestigious Arts for the Parks top 100 national tour, and the Federal Duck Stamp top 20, as well as in several magazines including Wyoming Wildlife, Sporting Classics, and Wildlife Art.

Pouncing Coyote

Mountain Majesty
Rites of Spring
Sunrise Serenade
On Alert
Thunder Beast
Lazy Bugle
Early Snow
Autumn Echoes
Alpine Princess
Alpine HunterGone Fishing

Swan Lake
The Veteran

New Featured Artist- Brooke Ebel

Brooke Ebel

Brooke Ebel lives and works from her home studio in Parker, Colorado. Her most recent work has appeared in several local juried exhibitions, including
The Wildlife Experience Museum’s “Celebration of Nature” and the Denver Botanic Gardens’ “Artists of Colorado State,” as well as group artist exhibitions at Space Gallery, Parker Mainstreet Gallery, Parker Library, Vines, and Parker Mainstreet Station. She is a member of the Parker Artist’s Guild and the Colorado Artist’s Guild.

Since childhood, Brooke has been intrigued by vibrant color and the unique properties of oil paints. Several years ago, while touring Spain, she was captivated by that country’s intricate patterns of mosaics, which inspired her distinct artistic technique.

By breaking her subject down into one-inch “light cells” and applying oil paint in high relief, she creates mosaic-like works of dramatic light, color, and texture. Most of Brooke’s works are on large canvases, and although she has worked in various mediums, her first love continues to be oils.

Brooke was born in Montana in 1961. She grew up in Miami, Florida, and settled in Colorado in 1993. She holds a BA in Education from Florida State University, as well as an MA in Counseling, and spent seventeen years as a high school culinary arts educator.

Brooke also works as a dance instructor at the Colorado School of Dance in Parker, Colorado, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for Apex Contemporary Dance Theatre.

Have Your Next Event At FatTail!!

FatTail Gallery is pleased to announce our space is now available for rent!!

Housed in a historic building built in 1883 and
renovated in early 2008, this elegant, clean space provides the perfect ambiance for any event.

The main showroom consists of two spaces, one large open space for

cocktail tables, dinner tables and/or a dance floor.

The second space provides guests with

a large bar and buffet area.

TV and Computer system centrally located for slide shows,
movies, or presentations.

Upstairs is perfect for guest mingling, with room for a second
bar and additional cocktail/dinner tables.


Corporate meetings, intimate weddings, holiday parties,
and charity events are just a few of the options for this spectacular space,
providing your guests with a breathtaking
backdrop and a wonderful experience.

For more information and site viewings, please contact our event coordinator Dominick Rich. events@fattailgallery.com
303.733.1021

Photography from Aspen, Colorado by Joe Morahan IV

Aspen Colorado during Fall Season

Joe Morahan IV just finished a shoot near Aspen, Colorado. These are all new shoots taken only a few weeks ago-

Rainbow Aspens

The fall season in Aspen, Colorado is one of the most picturesque and dramatic season changes in the United States. The small mountain town nestled away in the Rocky Mountains is packed with Aspen trees, which turn to all colors as the summer comes to an end. During the fall season thousands of people flock to Aspen to see the fall colors and witness nature at its most beautiful time.

The image was taken off Maroon Creek Road near Maroon Bells during the early morning hours. As the sun was rising behind the mountain the tops behind the set of Aspens, the light hit the trees just right making them light up. The colors of the trees falls from a deep red to an orange, then to yellow and finally green. This group of trees was calling my name as I drove by. I walked down to the set of trees and spent a few hours photographing these trees.

Maroon Bells

Sunrise at Maroon Bells near Aspen during the fall season could be the most beautiful scene in Colorado. As the sunrises and makes its way over the Rocky Mountains, the sunlight strikes the peaks of the mountains. The peaks light up a fire red color, which contrasts with the surrounding, scene perfectly. The yellow colors are created by the changing seasons, and the Aspen trees shedding their leafs. Early in the morning there is very little wind, which helps make the reflection in the lake crystal clear. The lake in the foreground helps show the curves of the mountains and makes the image look almost reversed.

As I arrived on the scene during the peak of the fall season, I expected to be the first person to arrive at the lake for the sunrise. I was up and at the lake at around 4:45am. I had to walk for nearly 300 yards to find an opening from the other photographers who were there in the pitch dark. As I waited I met many great people and many of who had been there before. I on the other hand was a first timer, and had my own image in my head. I used 6 images to produce this final piece. I sat in the same spot for 6 hours continuing to take images so that I could photoshop the pieces together later. I made sure to hit the perfect times, the sun rising on the peaks, the perfect reflection, the nice yellow colors and a few other images to complete the scene.

Ashcroft

I was driving around looking for a great place to shoot when I can across this old mine town called Ashcroft and it made for some great images. In the spring of 1880 two prospectors, Charles B. Culver and W.F. Coxhead left the mining boomtown of Leadville in search of silver deposits in the Castle Creek Valley. Together the men formed a Miner's Protective Association, built a courthouse and laid out the streets in Ashcroft in just two weeks. The town was renamed Ashcroft in 1882 after a rich ore strike was uncovered in Montezuma and Tam O'Shanter Mines. Ashcroft town population had risen to around 2,000. Ashcroft was also home to two newspapers, a school, sawmills, and a small smelter. At this point in its history the town was larger than Aspen and closer to the railroad in Crested Butte. By 1885 the town was home to about 3,500 people, had six hotels and 20 saloons. As quickly as the town went boom it went bust.

This shot shows the small ghost town of Ashcroft. It was taken during the fall season as all the surrounding aspen trees turn yellow and many other beautiful colors. Four old building sit just as they did more than 100 years ago. They are slowly breaking down after surving so many harsh Rocky Mountain winters.

Winter Water ColorsDuring the fall season in Aspen, Colorado there are many wonderful things to photograph that you might just walk by on a normal day. On this chilly morning, as I drove down highway 82 to find a nice spot for sunrise, I pulled the car over and started hiking. As I walked through the bush I noticed that I was soaked from the waist down. The freezing cold air had created a thick frost on all the plants and as I walked through them it got me wet. As I paid closer attention, the frost was only on the outer edge of the plant life. The fall season helps turn the ordinarily plain plants into color pallets of the imagination. The leafs on this bush seemed to be almost every color possible, yellow, green, red, orange, tan, magenta, brown, and even purple. It was every color and the frosted tips helped complete the image.

Taking some time to fish during the morning hours is always a great morning. But fishing at Maroon Bells during the fall season could be one of the best places and times to go fishing anywhere in the world. This fly-fisherman was out at sunrise trying to catch the hungry fish as they woke for their day. Maroon Bells which is located near Aspen, Colorado is one of the most picturesque places in the state. During the fall season all of the aspen trees change colors to beautiful yellow, green, orange and red colors. This particular shot was toward the beginning of the season change and that is why the colors are yellow. The lake in the foreground is Maroon Lake and it shows the reflection of the Maroon Bells clearly. The reflection is crystal clear and fresh mountain runoff.

Colorado DreaminColorado Dreamin was taken in the fall season 2008 near Aspen, Colorado. The location was just off highway 82 about 3 miles to the east of Downtown Aspen. I was driving to a location when I saw a group of dense aspen trees, so dense, you could not see through to the other side of the trees. It was about 10:00am when I had pulled over to walk through this set of aspens. The sun was directly behind all the tress making the leafs glow in the light and make all the wonderful colors that you see. The bottom of the frame the bushes in the foreground are glowing from the light that found a hole in the trees. The colors go from a yellow toward the bottom to an orange to a light red color. The transition of colors go from top to bottom creating a rainbow of colors.

Ashcroft in Black and White

Old Ghost Town near Aspen Colorado

I was driving around looking for a great place to shoot when I can across this old mine town called Ashcroft and it made for some great images. In the spring of 1880 two prospectors, Charles B. Culver and W.F. Coxhead left the mining boomtown of Leadville in search of silver deposits in the Castle Creek Valley. Together the men formed a Miner's Protective Association, built a courthouse and laid out the streets in Ashcroft in just two weeks. The town was renamed Ashcroft in 1882 after a rich ore strike was uncovered in Montezuma and Tam O'Shanter Mines. Ashcroft town population had risen to around 2,000. Ashcroft was also home to two newspapers, a school, sawmills, and a small smelter. At this point in its history the town was larger than Aspen and closer to the railroad in Crested Butte. By 1885 the town was home to about 3,500 people, had six hotels and 20 saloons. As quickly as the town went boom it went bust.

This shot shows the old ghost town of Ashcroft, Colorado. The shot was taken with a digital camera, but using the inferred color spectrum. The grass and all the living shrubs in the foreground are glowing white, and beaming off inferred light back to the camera. The clouds are puffy and blowing fast overhead. You can see the old building that were built more than 100 years ago. They are starting to break down after surviving so many harsh Rocky Mountain Winters.