From Bryce

Here's another painting inspired by our Southwest trip:  this tree was perched just so in Bryce Canyon National Park. I've always been enthralled by trees...such personality! Trees such as this are so tenacious and wise-seeming. 

Here's another vocabulary word for you:  krummholz.  It is the term describing the growth form of a windblown, stunted tree in difficult environs.  Love that krummholz!

Tenacious.  Watercolor 11x14.  $100.

Desert Under Sea

I just worked on this painting some more. It's the first time I've posted something to this blog without being sure it was done. That's a lesson for me to sit on my hands a little before I put something out there for everyone to see.  Anyway, I've left the version 1.0 up, so you can see the contrast between it and the "final" product.  Maybe I'll do more and post a 3.0!

BTW, this is a perfect opportunity to introduce one of my favorite words to the world:  "Bonnarding." The French painter Bonnard had the honor of seeing his art hung in the Louvre during his lifetime. But he wasn't satisfied, ultimately, that the painting was truly finished, regardless of the opinion of the Louvre's curator.  He arranged a distraction for the guards, and "finished" his painting surreptitiously as it hung on the wall in the gallery.  So the act of (over)working a painting when it's already done is called Bonnarding.  I do this all the time!

Version 1.0:

Version 2.0 (new!) is below. Note the warmer colors, deeper values, and addition of more detail.  Plus better photo resolution.

This is the fifth in my Zion series, titled "Desert Under Sea." It's more abstracted and close-up than the previous paintings in this series. It depicts two elements of the high desert particularly special to me:  sagebrush and fossils.  The fossil shell represented is one that Frederick found on a stone lining the Rim Trail of the Grand Canyon's south side.
11x14 watercolor. $100.

High Desert Eden

Here's my fourth in the Zion series.  I just finished this one today and am quite pleased with it.  This scene is from the Watchman Trail at Zion NP.

High Desert Eden.  11x14 watercolor.  Price unframed: $100.

The Other Side of the Mountain

This is my third piece in my Zion NP series.  I thought about calling it "Beyond the Mt. Carmel-Zion Tunnel" but decided that "The Other Side of the Mountain" conveyed better the fun and adventure of going a little out of the way and discovering a place such as this, with the dreamlike topography, geometric patterns, and elusive wildlife.  Those are bighorn sheep in the painting.  On our vacation to Zion NP, Harry was the first to spot the sheep, and we sat in the sand near the location of this painting and watched them for an hour or more. 

I love patterns and geometry in nature. I hope that is coming through in this series, which is more realistic than some of my work of the past year.

11x14 watercolor. $100. SOLD