Painting in "Maynard Dixon Country" (Zion National Park) is a challenge and a wonderful experience. The challenge is to put up with the heat, wind and dry air, to capture the light. The contrast of values is extreme and yet the shapes are clear and simple. The cloud shapes are big and simple, and yet there is large variety of color within each cloud shape. The same is true for a sunlit bluff face or one that is in shadow. The only way to really capture the essence of this country is to be patient and observe. The color and values are not what your preconceptions have led you to believe. The rich color in the shadows is the elusive prey to capture.

As the sun was setting we drove from Santa Ysabel down the road to Warner Springs Ranch. San Diego's mountains are beautiful this time of year. The contrast between the golden color fields and the afternoon light on the sage covered mountains is inspiring. I want to paint more.

I was doing a workshop with Ray Roberts on a plateau above Kanab. The afternoon was hazy, but it was still very hot (95 degrees). I combined the ground plain to the west with clouds to the south.

The clouds

I painted for 8 days at the Zion area better known as Maynard Dixon Country. It is a yearly event with around 37 of the best landscape artists in the country. I go up to paint with them and maybe one day will be invited. This a cool place out of the hot sun. The light was changing quickly with clouds rolling overhead. The idea was to emphasize the light in the background by painting the foreground in dark, warm values.

This is a painting of the the best Chinese Laundry in San Diego, the New Life Laundry. All paintings were painted on site and no touching up in the studio. 

North Park is a very interesting mix of people. 

As I was painting lots of people made comments, but they varied. The people going to yoga commented that I captured the spirit of the place. The tatoo artists said "dude". The laundry people just told me about how good the laundry was.