@lauragyoung.bsky.social
I’m a wildlife and landscape artist in beautiful Fort Collins, Colorado. (No A.I. shenanigans here; just pigments and paper and a quixotic attempt at excellence.)
When my love of Books and Art merges into one video:
youtu.be/K-DccOhBUfU?...
The first snowflakes of 2026 are currently falling in SE Fort Collins. Not a lot so far, but I’ll take it! #COwx #❄️
08.01.2026 17:33 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
New Year, New Video!
#pleinair #coloradoartist #watercolor
youtu.be/_LSrNAqfLsE?...
Fantabulous!
03.01.2026 01:45 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 1 📌 0My fave season, as well. (Am missing our usual snow here in Colorado) ❄️☃️❄️
03.01.2026 01:40 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Thanks so much! :)
03.01.2026 01:38 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A watercolor painting of some winter trees near a stream. The artist is holding it up en situ.
First painting of the year! The weather continues to be unseasonably warm for Colorado.
#COwx #PleinAir #watercolor #FortCollins
A video of every plein air painting I did this year: the good, the bad, and the overworked. 😜
Thanks so much, dear friends, for your support and friendship over the last 12 months. You make all the sunburn, bug bites and frozen toes worthwhile!
— L
youtu.be/QRA4iwd6qaQ?...
A photo of a watercolor of Nature’s Own Imagination shop in downtown Fort Collins, Colorado. The artist is holding the painting in front of the subject on a sunny day.
Felt very festive painting Old Town today, even though the snow’s melted away.
#pleinair #COwx #watercolor #aquarelle #NoCo #fortcollins #ftcollins #coloradoartist #coloradoart
A photo of the artist standing in front of a landscape painting she just completed outside. It looks very snowy and chilly.
Had a cold but gorgeous painting session this morning over at @osbornfarm. If you’re in need of a tree or wreath, this is THE place to go! 🌲 🌲 🌲
#Loveland #pleinair #watercolor
Goodbye, Moon. Hello there, Sun! #COwx #FortCollins #Brrr
04.12.2025 14:50 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0First decent snowfall of the season — around 5 inches fell overnight, and it’s still dusting down in SE Fort Collins. Hooray! ❄️ ⛄️ #COwx
03.12.2025 17:58 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A Plein air watercolor painting of autumnal trees with a pond in the foreground. The sky is moody and gray.
Mood.
#pleinair #COwx #watercolor #aquarelle #NoCo #fortcollins #ftcollins #coloradoartist #coloradoart
A black and white photo of a charcoal drawing of a lone juniper tree in a cow pasture.
The awesome weather continues — had a balmy 70F sketch session today with the gang over at Soderberg open space, then a tasty lunch at Horsetooth Tavern.
#pleinair #COwx #charcoal #charcoalart #NoCo #fortcollins #ftcollins #Horsetooth#coloradoartist #coloradoart
#landscapedrawing #getoutside
A charcoal drawing of riverbend ponds, held up by the artists hand in front of the scene it depicts.
You know how sometimes you do something so absent-minded that you can hardly believe it? 🤦♀️ Somehow after I drew this little charcoal sketch, I left it on top of my Subaru and it must’ve flown off into parts unknown.
#pleinair #charcoal #charcoalart #NoCo #fortcollins #ftcollins #colorado #lost
Wow, thanks for sharing! It was such a great show (I was right in front of the stage) but so many of us were singing along that we didn’t get to hear Jesse on his own haha. Much appreciated. :)
01.11.2025 15:04 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Looking for something fun and FREE to do in Northern Colorado this weekend? Go on the Fort Collins studio tour! Me and many fellow FoCo artists will have our studios open to the public in order to share our work and creative processes with you. 🎨😊
#buylocalart #fcstudiotour
A photo of a watercolor painting held up by the artist in front of a sunlit outdoor scene that includes a pond with autumnal foliage and cattails behind it. Long’s peak and Mt. Meeker are in the far distance.
Forgot to post this one! Painted on location over at Running Deer Natural Area a couple weeks ago. The water was so smooth and still…
#pleinair #COwx #watercolor #aquarelle #NoCo #fortcollins #ftcollins #coloradoartist #coloradoart
#landscapepainting #getoutside
A watercolor painting of an autumnal scene. There are aspen and pine trees reflected by a small still pool against a moody gray sky.
Last painting of the season with the Estes Park gang. So excited that the air is turning crisper and cooler…
#pleinair #COwx #watercolor #aquarelle #NoCo #estespark #autumn #coloradoartist #coloradoart
#landscapepainting #getoutside
A photo of a landscape watercolor painting setup en situ in front of the Cache La Poudre River around midday. There are also autumnal trees and grass beyond the artist’s setup.
Had a fabulous morning painting the Poudre with my fellow PAAC artists up in north Fort Collins. Hope the good weather keeps up through October…
#pleinair #COwx #watercolor #aquarelle #NoCo #fortcollins #ftcollins #cachlapoudre #poudreriver #coloradoartist #coloradoart
#getoutside
If you’re looking to enjoy the autumnal aspen “gold”, come up and visit Central City! I’ve got two paintings in PAAC’s national plein air exhibition in the historic Washington Hall gallery at 117 Eureka Street, from now until Sunday October 5th, 2025. (Wed-Sun ONLY, 11am-5-pm) #colorado #thingstodo
16.09.2025 22:59 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
A small watercolor painting being held up in front of the camera. The scene is a soft overcast landscape. The scene is that of a still pond with lush greenery in the background.
Painted solo this morning over at Spring Canyon park. Temps are finally falling to a more tolerable range. Now if only the flies and mosquitoes would get the memo…
#COwx #NoCo #FtCollins #Colorado #pleinair #watercolor
air painting in watercolor being held up by the artist’s hand in front of the scene: a volcano called Estes Cone. In the foreground is a private pond in an alpine setting.
Many visiting Estes Park, Colorado have no idea they’re standing in the shadow of an ancient volcano. 🌋 P.S. Upcoming exhibition Sept. 5th; 5-8 pm @ 117 Eureka St, Central City, CO.
#pleinair #estespark #estescone #RMNP #COwx #watercolor #NoCo #centralcity #volcano #geology
#getoutside
A photo of a framed chickadee watercolor painting with the word “sold” beneath it.
Little chickadee finally found his home! Some of his friends will still be available at the Lincoln Gallery tent at Art in the Park in Loveland, CO through Sunday afternoon.
MORE INFO: www.lincolngallery.com/art-in-the-p...
#thingstodo #loveland #watercolor#coloradoartist #lauragyoung
A plein air watercolor painting of a path meandering through a shady dappled grove of cottonwood trees, held in front of the landscape in which it was painted.
Had a lovely (but very hot!) painting session at Oxbow Natural Area just off Hwy 34 in Loveland, CO. Ordinarily I would have attempted the river, but the soft dappled shadows of nearby cottonwoods called to me, instead. #pleinair #pleinairpainting #loveland #coloradoart #COwx #watercolor
05.08.2025 17:14 — 👍 20 🔁 1 💬 0 📌 0
A Plein air painting of two bee hives in a garden setting. Dappled shadows play across the ground with soft green foliage growing in the distance.
Painted some active bee hives — a first! It was fascinating, how the bees tended to gather inside when the clouds covered the sun, only to zip out when it came back out. Afterwards I felt inspired to paint some bee portraits. Stay tuned… 💕 🐝 💕
#pleinair #pleinairpainting #bees #beeart #beekeeping
A watercolor landscape painting (held in situ) of a couple of sailboats anchored at a dock. One of them has an American flag and a life preserver hanging off the aft section. Sunlight shines down from above upon the scene, and water undulates in the foreground.
Painted boats with some awesome artists over at Carter Lake. The cool breezes and shimmer on the water was inspirational. Will definitely have to visit this spot again…
#pleinair #pleinairpainting #carterlake #sailing #coloradoart #COwx #watercolor #aquarelle #NoCo #landscapepainting #getoutside
A watercolor landscape painting (held in situ) of a shady grouping of ponderosa pines next to a curved dirt road that leads to snowy-capped mountains in the distance.
A stand of time-worn pines on a private family ranch above Estes Park, Colorado. It got up to 90F /32C, but that was at least ten degrees cooler than on the plains!
#pleinair #pleinairpainting #estespark #coloradoart #COwx #watercolor #aquarelle #NoCo #landscapepainting #getoutside
A watercolor landscape painting (held in situ) of shadows cast by some Douglas fir trees with the Big Thompson Canyon in the distance
Still painting outside, despite the oppressive heat. Sometimes the water begins to evaporate in the palette before I can even finish mixing a wash(!) This one in the canyon was a bit of a struggle, but as fishermen say, “Any day spent fishing is a good day.” 🐟
#pleinair #cowx #colorado #watercolor
A watercolor painting of a small aspen grove and a couple of pine trees is being held up by the artist’s hand in front of the landscape she just finished painting.
A photograph of the artist smiling at her easel. She is wearing her trademark cowgirl hat. Behind her is the Twin Sisters mountain formation in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.
Looking east from Lily Lake. (Escaped the heat by painting in the mountains last week. )
#pleinair #pleinairpainting #lilylake #RMNP #aspens #COwx #watercolor #aquarelle #NoCo #landscapepainting #getoutside
