8×10” acrylic on hardbord

This piece is a color study for a future project. I’ve been wanting to paint Red Rocks Amphitheatre for a while now - live music is one of my passions outside of painting, and this is one of the most iconic outdoor venues in the world. The feeling of being in the natural amphitheater between Ship Rock and Creation Rock, looking out over the lights of Denver, is unparalleled.

These rocks are part of the Fountain Formation, uplifted during the same geological event that created the Boulder Flatirons and the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. The characteristic reddish colors of the rock formations is the result of oxidized minerals.