Large Landscapes by Mary Louise Tejeda

Tejeda often paints the landscape near her home. This is a region of open fields of wheat and alfalfa as well as rangeland. The Nebraska National Forest is nearby and East Ash Creek and Indian Creek are favorite sites. In the summer they are often filled with wild flowers; monarda, yarrow, coneflowers, goldenrod.

Trees generally are found only close to the creeks and along the rough terrain of the national forest. There are mainly cottonwood, ponderosa pine, ash, box elder and hackberry. They are favorite subjects during the summer when they provide cool shade to work in. 

The absence of trees makes the sky an important feature in Tejeda's work. Thunderheads in summer are especially spectacular as are the colors of the setting and rising sun. Winter brings icy fogs, freezing winds and snowy cold days all of which may be captured in their turn by Tejeda who often paints then from the protection of her small car. 

"Pioneer Roses"
Pastel 19.5 x 25.5" MB#1044
"At this site near our mailbox was the old Karl Lang homestead. Chinese elm, lilacs, and yellow or "pioneer" roses mark the site, the only sign of a house is a small cement remnant. Now the cattle come here to sit in the shade, and our neighbor stores hay here during the summer. I frequently use this site in my landscapes." 

"Ponderosa Grove, East Ash Creek"
Pastel 19.5 x 25.5" MB#1100
This is a splendid site of Ponderosa Pine in the Nebraska National Forest. Tejeda walked in to the site about a quarter mile so she could do the painting on location.

 
Indian Creek

  Indian Creek starts in the Pine Ridge National Forest, Dawes County, NE. It nourishes a small forest of cottonwood, ash and elm trees in a narrow band through what is otherwise grass covered hills and rangeland.