Start to Finish: A Colorado Landscape Painting by Tracy Felix

Four years ago, I discovered the work of Tracy Felix, a Colorado-based artist who’s lived in the San Luis Valley, Colorado Springs, and Manitou Springs and now resides in Denver.

Here’s the blog post about a Pikes Peak painting at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum: click here.

We connected directly when I reached out to share that blog post with him. Here’s a quick follow up: click here.

I also ran into his work at the Denver Art Museum: click here.

I was incredibly pleased to learn that one of my photos of The Three Apostles from this Huron Peak summit hike photo set inspired a painting of his.

The Three Apostles by Ethan Beute (photo) & Tracy Felix (painting)

This winter, Tracy and I came to an arragement in which he’d paint a Colorado landscape for me; I could not have been more excited. After much consideration and for a few reasons, I decided that the subject should be Mount Owen and Megan Lake in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Colorado.

First, I hiked both of them a few summers back because they’re the names of my son and my wife. Second, the Sangres are one of my favorite (if not the favorite) ranges in Colorado for their long valleys, beautiful striation, and uncrowded trails. Third, because they’re not immediately adjacent, Mount Owen and Megan Lake would be a bit of an imagined scene, which Tracy told me he enjoyed painting.

A huge thank you to Tracy for taking on the project and for sharing his progress. Below are six photos – five he emailed me while the work was in progress and the final I shot when he delivered the painting to our home.

Below, see “Rito Alto Peak and Mount Owen above Megan Lake, Sangre de Cristo Range” (oil on panel, 36″ x 49″) by Tracy Felix from start to finish.

The Initial Sketch

Rito Alto & Mount Owen Taking Shape

Megan Lake Filling Up

Finished Underpainting

Finished Piece

Tracy Felix with the Painting in Place

The process was a pleasure. The painting is a privilege. Thanks again to both Tracy Felix and his wife, Sushe Felix.

See the work of Tracy and Sushe at FelixFineArt.com