Friday, April 17, 2009

Painting in the Painted Desert

Painted Desert. Oil on stretched canvas, 18x18

I spent yesterday in the Petrified Forest National Park, which includes the Painted Desert. I usually avoid the national parks - they are protected, visited, known. But I was drawn to this one. And I found it so breathtaking, so moving, that I am going back today - at least for the morning.

Every curve in the road brought me to a site that was so spectacular, it overwhelmed my eyes. Vast open prairies spread out in all colors, as far as you can see. Mesas rise up, and then spread into multicolored hills, striped and ridged and pulsing with color. There are pastels, and grey-blue scenes, there are reds and violets and purples, there are colors I can't even describe, created by weather and wind and erosion, by man and by animals and the forces of nature. It truly is amazing.

Thanks for reading!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Okay... now THIS is one of my favorites... it's like seeing you evolving to the next phase of your artistic development as you journey round the country!

carrie jacobson said...

Sheila, what a great friend and supporter you are! I love these new paintings, too - but it's not universal. I'm glad you're enjoying them!