![\"\"](\"http:\/\/larryeifert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/Carson-River-Final1.jpg\" "\\"Carson-River-Final\\"")
<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nThis week<\/strong> I finished up another large-scale habitat mural for a new visitor center along the Carson River in Nevada. This vibrant place, just below the High Sierra front and southeast of Lake Tahoe, has always been important to\u00a0wildlife, and to me. I consider it one of the most beautiful and interesting\u00a0places in the\u00a0West.<\/p>\n As the winter snows melt off these great\u00a0mountains in spring, this water runs off into the valley and eventually out into the Great Basin where it evaporates with summer heat. Along the way, vernal pools and backwater pockets are filled with rushes and cattails, providing fabulous habitat for birds that make wildlife-watching wonderful.\u00a0I’ve gotten to know this area pretty well, as I’ve also painted another, similar painting just north of this for the Lahanton Valley National Wildlife Refuge.\u00a0In some small way, I’m always hoping my work will open some eyes, change some hearts and\u00a0minds and possibly, just possibly,\u00a0make it so these beautiful landscapes (and fictitious paintings)\u00a0will both\u00a0continue past my lifetime.<\/p>\n I wrote two other posts for this one as the project progressed. Here’s the original sketch<\/a>\u00a0(these open in separate browser windows) and here’s the half-way image<\/a>\u00a0showing\u00a0the development of details. It’s kind of fun to see all three stages because things always\u00a0change as I\u00a0go along. For example, I added a yellowthroat and a Savannah sparrow to the final – and they’re not in the second stage painting.<\/p>\n And below is the initial reference photo<\/strong>\u00a0I developed the painting from. Supplied by the client (and, thank you, Anne), you can see how far from reality these big paintings stray. Still, there are basic elements here that remained the same, making it a recognizable place. I like to say this photo was the launching pad, but where the final painting landed, no one\u00a0knew – especially me!<\/p>\n Thanks for reading this week. Click here<\/a> to go to our main website – packed with jigsaw puzzles, prints, interpretive portfolios and lots of other stuff. To see more than 50 other murals like this, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to check out what Nancy’s currently working on with her photography.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This week I finished up another large-scale habitat mural for a new visitor center along the Carson River in Nevada. This vibrant place, just below the High Sierra front and southeast of Lake Tahoe, has always been important to\u00a0wildlife, and to me. I consider it one of the most beautiful and interesting\u00a0places in the\u00a0West. As … Continue reading Carson River Mural Unveiling<\/span> <\/a><\/p>\n
\nLarry Eifert<\/p>\n