This is your brain on plein air painting...

Earlier this week I had some errands to run in Denver, about 100 miles away. As I was driving home in stop-and-go traffic, feeling an impractical combination of tired and anxious at the same time, I happened to notice the sun coming through the clouds and landing in a bright patch on the foothills, which were green from the recent rains. 

I felt my brain relax and expand, and I took a breath. Ahhh, that's the bonus for a plein air painter...awareness beyond the ordinary. And you don't have to look far. There's usually something visually remarkable within reach. 

I came across this blog by a runner who is also a photographer, illustrating his various trails...including climbing the Flatirons in Boulder.