Master Signature Member Karen Vance has been commissioned to paint 100+ paintings for the Devil's Thumb Resort, a 5,000 acre guest ranch in Tabernash, Colorado, by the owners, Bob and Susanne Fanch. 

   Karen Vance studied at the Art Institute of Chicago before moving out to Winter Park, Colorado in 1980. To make ends meet, the struggling artist worked as city clerk for the growing ski town.
   By 1986, her art career was in full swing and she quit her job with the town to paint full time.
   That turned out to be a great move for Vance, who has since won some of the highest awards in her field. And one recent work, "Another Spring," graces the cover of the beautiful coffee table book, Landscapes of Colorado which features the works of top landscape artists in the West.
    But her most notable achievement would almost certainly be her work at Devil's Thumb Ranch just a few miles down the road from her studio. When completed,  there will be  more than 100 paintings residing at the Ranch.
    This is an interview from Martin Curry of Alpenglow Magazine with Karen describing the project.

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Alpenglow: How did you approach such a large commission?
Vance: I had to get my "head around" such a large project. I had to complete paintings for shows that I was committed to, then I pulled back from most of the annual shows that I have participated in the past, with promises, to return when the collection is finished.  I had to "clear my slate" to totally focus on the commission.
 
Alpenglow: How long have you been working on this commission?
Vance: I started it about two and a half years ago, and it should be completed this
summer.

Alpenglow: What is the subject matter of the exhibit?
Vance: The paintings depict vast stretches of landscapes, mountains, wildlife captured in their habitat, lakes and rivers, historical buildings, old ranches and small intimate settings of native wildflowers and grasses. All the seasons are represented. With each painting I try to capture a specific place, time and emotion. All are scenes from Grand County.

Alpenglow: Could you share a few trade secrets? Like, have you developed a system to produce so many original works?
Vance: I go out exploring different areas, taking photos and doing sketches for my reference material. From these I construct my larger studio paintings.  I sketch out several small compositions in pencil on paper. When I decide on one, I sketch it onto my larger canvas in charcoal.
    With brush and oil paint, I block in the large areas with value and color. Then the finishing process begins: judging how each shape relates to each other, creating a flow for the eye to follow, with soft and hard edges, warm and cool color transitions, accent darks and lights.

Alpenglow: How long does it take you to complete a painting?
Vance:  A small painting can take anywhere from 2 to 10 hours. My large paintings can take from 20 hours to 40 hours, which doesn't include all the preliminary work. That can add days to a painting.

Alpenglow: So, you must take time off after you finish a painting?
Vance: How I wish! I paint or am involved with the painting process everyday, at least 50 hours per week  I actually "paint" 5 to 8 hours per day.
Alpenglow: Do you paint each painting from start to finish before starting another?
Vance: I usually have about 20 paintings in various stages of development that I'm working on at a time.  I only paint smaller canvases en plein air or alla prima, in one sitting.
 
Alpenglow: Where can we see these paintings?
Vance: The collection is open to the public, free of charge.
The largest paintings are in the "common areas" of the Devil's Thumb Lodge, in the lobby areas,
the hallways, Heck's Restaurant, and in the beautiful new Spa.  The smaller paintings are in the library, sitting areas, and guest rooms.

Alpenglow: One last question. With all your works out at Devil's Thumb Ranch, can we expect a book anytime soon?
Vance: Glad you asked! Yes, there will be a book. The process is quite involved but we hope to have it available by the end of 2009 or early 2010.

karenvanceart.com