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Apparently when Dry Beaver Creek is running one can get in a lot of trouble trying to cross it.

It's definitely dry today, so we'll have no trouble once we get to the spot where we'll paint.

The trees are so pretty in the early morning sunlight!  To get this shot, one has to pick their way through some small dry tumbleweeds.  We'll spend a little time pulling the pickers out of our socks once we're back to the car.

Just a little farther down the road is the Yavapai County materials grounds.  Park in the shade of a mesquite and we're ready to go.

Here's my pack.  Snacks and water are inside along with all the painting gear.  Don't forget your coffee mug.

It's just a short walk down a gravel path, through the gate (don't forget to close it) and--

--down into a side creek bed.  

It's a short walk to the place where I'll paint at the confluence.  And it's good so see that there will be plenty of color once we get there!

Every time I've been  here to paint, the creek bed is always different due to whatever water flow came through.  This time there's evidence that there must have been a huge flow earlier in the year.  there are large sandy hollows around the perimeter and a lot of fairly large rocks down the middle.  We're right where the creek makes a turn and most of the trees have grass and plant debris caught in their lower branches.This view upstream is tempting me to paint it.

And along comes Karen, the organizer of this group.  She carries what's known as a French half-easel.

I'll paint this scene first and if there's time, I'll paint the upstream scene later.  I like how the trees are backlit and shadows rake across the sand.

An hour later, I have a decent little painting.  The morning is warming up and I DO have time and energy to start another one.

One of the basic rules of painting is find a scene that has 2/3 light and 1/3 shadow or vice versa.  This one will definitely be 2/3 light.  Some of the trees have no color or much structure.  A painter can always invent that.

The focus for me in this one was the bright yellow leaves against the deep blue sky.  I also exaggerated the rusty red of the sycamores. 

I knew Karen had gone upstream to paint a huge old sycamore.  Let's go find her.

And there's her tree.  I'm standing at its base for scale.  Just imagine all the history, both human and natural this huge old sycamore has seen!

Walking back to the confluence, you can see, if you look carefully, my gear which is still set up.  I'll probably find a few gnats stuck in the blue paint.  They always go for the blue and white!

Almost there.  On the way back, let's stop at Wet Beaver Creek and see what's happening there.

Heading back north on I-17, we'll take the exit to Sedona, but head the opposite direction down FR 618.  After a few miles, we'll reach the little one-lane bridge over Wet Beaver Creek.  

Not disappointed!  We'll skitter down a steep trail to the water's edge,  get a few reference photos, then head back home.  This one will definitely become a painting back in the studio!