I absolutely adore scrambling around on giant rocks in the sunshine, both the physicality and the figuring out HOW to climb over, under and through these beauties makes me incredibly happy. The body movement this creates is unlike anything you can find naturally anywhere else, and that translates into how and what I end up painting when I’m out there. Its different than working at home, in an oak forest or a city. Those rocks literally give off an energy that is palpable and thrilling. Everything painted in the desert was done plein air, outside, literally ON the Rocks or IN the sand or both. Some are representational, and some abstract, capturing the energy I feel when I’m there. The difficulty of painting in wind and sun that dries your paint too fast, or blows sand and ephemera onto your surface is part of the scene, one that is joyful in having that bright illumination lighting up the colors that just can’t be seen the same way indoors. Consequently, there are imperfections and more messiness than I might otherwise have, but I’ve decided to leave them all as they were painted ~ fresh and in the moment. This has been a balm to my soul in this upside down crazy divisive, covid, and war-torn world of ours.

I had a 10 yard roll of canvas rolled up on the top of the rock. I would paint a part, then roll it up and keep on painting until I had completed all 10 yards.

I saw cute little lizards climbing on the rock and painting when I’d step away. Though we didn’t see any, there ARE Snakes around the area, so we’d roll it up and put all the paint in a closed up box to keep any critters out at night or when we were out hiking, though I’m sure they could have gotten in anyway if they wanted to.

Its hard to tell, but this painting is 94”‘ x 54,” Acrylic on raw canvas