Roadside Thistles Near Zion

Zion National Park holds many beautiful treasures to the fortunate person able to behold her splendor. I have always been fascinated by the elegant white blossoms of the thistles that grow along the roadside in mid July. You dare not touch them as they are full of thorns that scream 'stay away', and yet they are so lovely with their pure white petals and silky appearance with just a touch of yellow gold at the center.

 I set up my easel in one of the most beautiful areas of the park. I loved it because the day was just recovering from a thundershower and the mountain ridges were caught in a symphony of golds and lavender and raw sienna passages that were framed by the waning of the storm clouds giving rise to delicate rays of the sun that colored the mountains with a silvery light.

Contrasts of color and value add interest to paintings and to life. Like the primitive beauty of the thistles, the magic of this moment only lasts fleetingly. It is up to each of us to take the time out of the chaos that surrounds our busy lives to enjoy the moment and be alive in it right then and right there. Some of these moments are caught by a memory or a photograph or an artists painting and live on to add inspiration and a bit of beauty to our lives. For these precious moments I am grateful!

Giclee Prints            Large Note Cards

The primitive beauties of the high desert.

Kanarraville, Utah

Sitting at about 5,500 feet, Kanarraville  is a beautiful little Utah town. The afternoon Mimi and I and the boys and darling baby Elisa drove up to see what we could find that was pretty to paint, there it was. Iron County has its particular share of beauty, but this was just oh so amazing. I ran to set up my easel and put out my watercolors as the dark forms of storm clouds collected overhead and promised an abundance of rain!

Blackness of the storm stood strong against the mountains. It was a study of contrasts in action.
The afternoon sun shed shreds of light on the delicate foliage in front of me, and the dark prongs of last summers fire stood silently against the velvet mountains. The last of the spring grasses created a horizontal passage of rich yellow green. I painted like mad before the clouds let loose and Mimi shooed the boys back to the truck. The painting could have had a bit more detail, but Mimi and I loved it just the was it was.

Giclee Prints            Large Note Cards

                                 Before the storm.Summer 1982.

Water Canyon Staging Area

Water canyon was the next canyon over from Maxwell canyon. On a summer day it was a good hike over to the staging area that was comprised of this little pasture surrounded by cedar trees and turquoise sage. A string of old cedar posts still remained on one side complete with a wire gate.
One could actually drive this far up Water canyon without fear of getting stuck in the sand which would drift over the primitive roads and make traveling very difficult.
When a longer hike was planned this shady area was perfect to transfer our backpacks to our own backs and prepare to make the more difficult hike up the canyon switchbacks to the top country.
This was the magical land that my Uncle Jon wrote about in his books. It was the land of the Raindrop That Never Fell, one of the most beautiful natural lakes around. We were ready!

Giclee Prints            Large Note Cards