A Vast Land - Wyoming
![](../images/wyoming/wyoming_2.jpg)
This April, I had the chance to spend a two-weeks period as
artist-in-residence at the
Ucross-Foundation
in Wyoming. Artist-in-residence programs offer artist living and work space,
sometimes meals, exchange with other artists and thus a space to perfectly concentrate
on the art work.
![](../images/wyoming/wyoming_ucross_studio.jpg)
Times like this are very intense and fruitful, a wonderful gift.
![](../images/wyoming/wyoming_4.jpg)
Ucross is located in a very remote area, surrounded by mountains
and rivers. It's a wide, wild and lonesome landscape.
During the first days, I went to the river and painted, with
the idea of simplicity and something not-spectacular.
![](../images/2011/wyoming_watercolour_river_3.jpg)
![](../images/2011/aquarell_fluss_2.jpg)
![](../images/2011/wyoming_watercolour_mountai.jpg)
When I came to know the landscape, I started to work on woodblock
prints. Compaired to creating a painting, painting a print design for me a more
stringent process, as I paint only relevant areas like outlines or small details.
It is easier this way to keep my energy level high.
![](../images/2011/wyoming_mountain.jpg)
Most of the mountains at Ucross are rather flat. As soon as
the sun is rising higher, the mountains look like a big homogenious mass, which
is a difficult thing for me as a woodblock artist. So I went with my byke into
the mountains before sunrise to look for a place with striking shadows.
![](../images/wyoming/wyoming_1.jpg)
There I painted a design, surrounded by many chirping, but unvisible
birds (Wyomings State bird, the Western Meadowlark, as I was told later. It
is a happy occasion when it is back, as this means Spring is starting).
In printing I played with several colour variations...
![](../images/2011/wyoming_sunrise_2.jpg)
The team at Ucross took care so kindly for me and my colleagues.
Thank you so much!
![](../images/2011/wyoming_watercolour_river.jpg)
April 2011
PS Travelling from Berlin to Wyoming and Washington in April
2011 caused 6840 kg CO2. I offset these flights at
www.atmosfair.de.
![Art](../images/blind.gif) |