Kayla Koeune of Inferno Art Studio

Ok ok so I am a little behind on the blog, but holy hell has it been a busy month. I really have been taking things one day at a time in stride so I don’t get too overwhelmed. So, of coarse,  instead of going through my checklist for our moto trip to India and making sure I have all the things packed I need, I am writing a bloggy blog about a motorcycle event before I forget what happened. So this year like every year I made way too much pasta to feed some amazing dirty bikers. Why do I make the effort you ask? Well it all stemmed from a trip in Italy that really inspired me. People sitting down for a family dinner in the middle of nowhere to share their love of the open road. For me the love of travel, especially travel on two wheels, is about community or family. Charlie and I put this event together so we had an excuse to see all of our favorite people, feed them and share some stories in the woods. We always have some activities and in the past we have done a ...

100 Colorado Landscapes A Collection of Watercolors by Artist: Kayla Koeune Now available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble Paperback Hardcover Starting a new series is like taking that first step up the side of a mountain. You know what general outcome you would like to see and I suppose you also know the general direction you are headed to, but there is a lot of uncertainty. Question that popped up in my head where to start, how to start, how many in the series, how big should the art be, who cares if I paint them, and who am I trying to reach and why. I must say this is a series I did for myself and my personal exploration of the new surroundings of living in Colorado. I wanted to challenge myself so I choose a number that was large enough to take dedication but not too substantial that I would quit before the journey began. I have a love of the great outdoors so a series of landscapes seemed like a pretty natural subject, plus in a state full of dynamic lan...

Treacherous Trail So I am new to backpacking in the mountains but I can tell you I cannot get enough of it. I love being in the wild. It’s quiet and you’re alone among the trees and the breeze, yet it is loud and you are never alone all at the same time. A couple days ago I attempted to do an over night up near Rogers Pass with my dog. I will preface this with the fact that Freda is still young and hasn’t learned that what she does on the leash effects the person holding that leash. She is pretty good about knowing the rules on the leash and walks right next to you but on the trail she doesn’t notice there isn’t enough room for that and needs to walk behind me. I say behind because in front she constantly turns around to see if I’m still following which can be pretty annoying when your trying to walk with weight on your back. We started off at the Moffat Tunnel where the trail head begins. The first length of the trail, a couple of miles or so, was beautiful. Weather was g...

100 Colorado Landscapes    This  project is a collection of watercolors inspired by my desire to get to know the natural world that surrounds me. This Series is dedicated to the great outdoors of colorful Colorado. 100 scenic views from all over the region have been chosen. Special attention had been taken to explore the rural and hard to reach corners of this rugged state. From mountains and forests to lakes and grasslands these landscapes explore the possibilities of a medium that is new to me. I have spent my art career up to this point working predominately in ink and oil painting and decided it is time to master a paint that is conducive to travel.  The watercolors in this series are each 4 inches by 6 inches on watercolor paper. The pieces are numbered in order of their production and were started on 20 January 2018. Each Piece will be available for  purchase once the series is complete but I will take early reservations if there is one that st...

  No matter where he is going my husband, Charlie, counts miles. I think this is reminiscent of his bicycle racing days or his addictive personality, but no matter where he picked it up, Charlie is always racking his brain about how many miles he has put under his belt. It is personal pride in the thing he loves which is an inspiring thing to watch for many of us. When he decided to enter the Peaks to Plains summer long mileage contest, where the winner received a motorcycle, I thought oh great... here we go just put the alcoholic right in the bar why don't ya!   He was concerned he wouldn't be able to do well considering we were getting married this summer and that combined with being out of the country for the honey moon would put him 3 weeks behind everyone, especially Louise. Louise and Charlie are one in the same and that's why I love them both. They both count miles, they both like to win, and they both entered the contest. Louise was his biggest concern right up...

  One of my favorite things to do in Colorado is overnight backpacking trips. The physical challange, the sense of accomplishment and the quiet relaxation are all food for the soul! On this occasion Charlie and I decided to take the Jasper Lake trail, just out side of Nederland, a place where many spectacular trails begin. The total trip length is a moderate 9 mile round trip with just under 2000 feet total elevation gain. In my opinion trails of this length are perfect for an overnight camping trip as you are able to get up to the top early enough to enjoy the quiet wilderness.   The trail starts at the Hessie Trailhead and takes you though the Indian Peaks Wilderness with epic views of Mt Jasper, Mt Neva and Klondike Mountain in the distance. The ascent is pretty even most of the way up with only a few moderate switchbacks as you wind through meadows and dense woods. We went up this trail in June, this time of year you will need a permit and I have to admit we forgot to...