Description
“First and Elk” holds a truly special place in my heart. It is my original tribute to Camp 4 Coffee and the incredible energy that congregates on the iconic town “corner”. I wanted to intensify the entire scene, saturating the composition with deep, passionate reds against the heavy winter snow drifts. To bring a sharp, dramatic edge to the mountain ambiance, I painted the surrounding trees entirely black, creating a stark, graphic contrast that cuts right through the canvas.
There is a classic cruiser tossed right into the snowbank, and a ladder leaning against a roof to show that shoveling feet of snow off the rooftops is a very real part of daily life here. In the foreground is a pair of black diamond skis; A nostalgic hardcore, old school skiers who some, used to tackle the mountain in nothing but denim jeans.
By shaking up the structures surrounding Camp 4 Coffee and blanketing the hidden neighborhood houses in snow, the canvas is a celebration of the grit, heart, and quirky traditions that define Crested Butte’s winter soul.