Sightless, the desert watches and waits
Dead cholla branches are fairly easily found in the desert. Most of the time I leave them alone, but occasionally small pieces shout out.
“Spectral Fantasy,
Lying in the sand….watching,
Without eyes, waiting”
No living animal was sacrificed in the creation of this trophy.
Cholla, Maple and Walnut; water-based aniline dyes and india ink.
H=5.5″ x 4″x 4″
As the US Capitol fell to rioters wielding confederate flags, I was leaving the Tohono Chul botanical gardens in Tucson. Blissfully unaware of the momentous happenings across the country, I spotted a huge, aged cholla. Most of its limbs had been pruned away. A single withered green leaf basked in the sun, while a bleached paddle rose defiantly from a dead limb. A younger plant grew along side, sheltered by this wizened parent.
A metaphor perhaps….
I completed this watercolor at home from a photo taken on Dec 6, 2021. 11″ x 8″, 300lb rough cold pressed paper
Sometimes an experience is so intense that capturing it needs time and multiple dimensions
Walking in the desert as sunset approaches is a magical time. Dead chollas glow as the late sun penetrates their thorny skeleton. I stood for a while marveling at their “aliveness”. I dreamt of being able to capture the moment. Words as well as images flooded my brain. I conjoured with words all the way home. Juggling reality, emotion and timefulness. As soon as I got home I scribbled words in my sketch book and let the thought of painting incubate for a while.
I’d be interested in your opinions regarding putting haiku verse on the painting. What does it add, does it distract?
Life on my Own 