Friday I got to art class early and started this one before my students arrived. I got the basics in and then finished it the next day at home. It took me right back to Arches National Park and I was there again amongst the blue green sage brush which is such a perfect foil for the riot of red, orange and ochres of the rocks and soil.
I fell in love with this plant and one of the most beautiful views from the many places we stayed was the sage brush plain outside our lovely cottage in Kanab. I would just stand and gaze across the blue green brush as the evening descended feeling joyful and serene. A nice state to end the day in. ( and Utah was pretty nice as well!)
Of course this is exactly what Arches National Park is so rightly famous for and I was mesmerised by the thin slivers of rock forming these arches . So graceful yet they were formed by years of abrasion and erosion. I wish I had been shaped so gracefully by my own years .
Every mile of desert landscape we travelled through was colourful, varied and wonderful. I was never bored by the passing landscape and so grateful for the experience and the opportunity to take some hikes that got me up close and personal with some of the landscape. I think you need to get out into nature and experience it in order to get real emotion into your paintings.
I hope that this painting somehow conveys to you those feelings I had as I wandered along the desert trails. The real joy I felt at the exuberance of colour, a sense of wonder that the solidity of those rocks could be changed and sculpted by wind and rain into such delicate structures, a feeling of connectedness to the landscape and a profound thankfulness that places like these have been protected and preserved for generations to enjoy.
If you want to see a real time video of me painting this it will be coming to my Patreon page as a full length video demo in September and will make it’s way to my You Tube channel in October.
Lindy Whitton Studio 
Gorgeous paintings, that last one blew me away. I agree with you, an artist needs to be experiencing nature in order to paint it with full barrels.
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I’m due to go out painting this morning with our plein air group and thinking of reasons not to go because it looks like rain! I need to buckle up and get out there!
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Beautiful….. Looks like one of those time stood still moments.
Thumbs up for pastel !
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Yes- a big thumbs up for pastel. It’s so good for getting all those layers of colour.
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Oh my Lindy! Love the almost Aussie tones yet different. Will you be doing a YouTube on this one please?! And any tips on which colours you chose to get those gorgeous effects especially the sage.
Ruby👏
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I particularly love pastels and this scene is remarkable in those lovely sandy tones with the silver grey contrasts – I do admire your talent
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I love that silver blue green sage brush- against the red it’s perfect . I love colour the way you love words – I’ve just spent a satisfying time over on your blog enjoying your wordsmithing excellence. Well put together words are a joy and your writing brought much joy.
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I write because I cannot paint – so your words are doubly delightful – thank you
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What a fantastic picture … the contrast in the deep oranges of the rock and the blue-green of the sage brush is fantastic. I know nothing of this place – your painting minds me to find out more!
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Utah is full of wonderful desert parks. Canyonlands and Arches are 2 of my favourite. Although it’s hard to choose!
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Sitting across the way in Massachusetts its hard to equate the difference in landscape due west and only 1 degree south!
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Interesting drawings. Its amazing all the erosion in the desert landscapes and how it was all carved out by water. The greyish green sage bushes really goes well against the red desert sands.
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Thanks Shawn- the colours are amazing and inspiring.
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