This is a collection of my plein air watercolors done mostly in September and October, 2011. Colorado still is one of my favorite painting locations. If you venture out, you know why I love it here. These all are for sale and you may contact me at BuffaloKaplinski@aol.com to find out prices. None have been matted or framed so you have a chance to select your own matting and framing.

View the full-size gallery of these paintings.
Cadmium Yellow Spill - Cottonwood Pass
I was camped out about a mile from this scene. Magnificent textures, contrast and color. Everything that I love to depict in a water color.

18" x 13" - watercolor

Top o' Trout Creek Pass
Made for an artist to paint - 3 "Bands" of color. A big, big vista - had difficult time getting it all in. Distant mountain is softer and wetter in brushwork to help convey distance. Only distraction was traffic wizzing by on Sunday afternoon; I assume going back to Colorado Springs (Hwy 24).

22" x 14½" - watercolor

Castlewood Canyon - Scrub Oak Color Swatch
Castlewood Canyon near Franktown is especially awesome in the Fall! It's a good idea to avoid state parks for the artist. I was given a parking ticket by a "Barbie Doll" park ranger for parking off road. Over the years I never was given a fine for parking or painting. I talked to the park superintendant and he wouldn't dismiss the charge. The $27.50 fine was worth doing the painting! I paid the fine and promised never to set foot in the park again. "Miss Barbie Bimbo" also said if she had seen me I would have had a $50.00 fine for entering and not paying! I'm glad we've got law enforcement that is on the lookout for criminals like me. Artists avoid state parks - you can also get cuffed and put in jail for bad composition and illegal use of Cadmium Red!

20½" x 13" - watercolor

The Confluence - between Salida and Buena Vista
This seems to be a favorite spot for viewing. On the other side of the guardrail is a well worn path - from photographers, artists and nature lovers! Also an open trash bin for anti-environmentalists. A must see viewpoint along Arkansas River.

16" x 20" - watercolor

Too Many Aspen
Can there be too many Aspen? This is a view along the road in Cottonwood Canyon (Buena Vista). It took a day and a half to paint - light was great and pretty consistant for plein air painting. The distances were too difficult to figure! All I wanted was to paint this excessively beautiful panarama!

30" x 20" - acrylic/canvas

Piedra Grande
This plein air watercolor is of the Rhyolite Rocks near Florissant Colorado. They have a "pinkish" color and a very subtle green algae on them. Perfect for watercolor interpretation; with the Fall colors, quite a subject and contrast.

16" x 12" - watercolor

Impressionistic Flutter - Bassam Park
The aspen going up the rock formation fluttering in the bright sun, against dark ? made me high. Another example why the Fall colors are so dazzling and inspirational to paint. Now here's why plein air painting is so great - you get to look at planes and the actual physical makeup of subject - not just a flat photo. It's right in front of you!

15½" x 20" - watercolor

May I Help You?
I spotted this composition near Florissant; near a road to a subdivision. I was asked if I needed help. Don't know if they really meant it; but will never do a painting on road to residences. People are curious and many have never seen artists working on location. People are surprised to see a real artist not in a studio, copying a photo.

22" x 13" - watercolor

Gigante Red Potato
A good friend of mine, Marco Alvarez, an artist from Mexico, went painting up at Red Rocks Park in Golden Colorado. He also does watercolor. This scene was from the parking lot and the big rock really looked like a gigante (spanish) potato with a little green mold on it. Another fun subject to paint!

22" x 14" - watercolor

Orange Highlights - Bassam Park RD #188
Bassam Park near and before Buena Vista (off hwy 24) is one of my favorite painting and secret areas to go. There's a place called Mushroom Gulch and Castle Valley. Wow, it's fantastic! I went painting and entered the 4th Annual Plein Air Festival at Buena Vista and Salida. I was given "Best of Show" by Judge Tom Lockhart. I almost had a heart attack when he named me to receive the award.

17" x 12" - watercolor

Fir, Aspen and Swamp - Bassam Park
I was getting physically tired of painting watercolors on location. You may not realize it but it takes a lot of energy to do plein air painting - taking gear to the spot, setting up, cleaning palettes, etc. When I spotted this, I had to paint it - no choice! The test of a "good subject" is when the desire to paint overcomes everything else!

11" x 17" - watercolor

All Around Buena Vista
The challenge was for artists in the plein air competition to paint in the town of Buena Vista. It was a great challenge. I drove around and set up in six locations. The court house was popular, "Ginger Bread" home, views of mountains, etc. How about deer crossing sign? We had about six hours to paint! Whew!

18" x 12" - watercolor