This painting was done entirely from handmade watercolors from earth pigments I gathered myself from the Colorado Plateau. Though mostly gathered from Utah, I say the Colorado Plateau because it is most accurate term for the areas I work in. Covering the most miraculous areas of Southern Utah, it stretches into Northern Arizona, Northwest New Mexico and Western Colorado. Basically, it covers all the fantastic, multi-colored desert landscapes I love best!

The floating scull is a special motif for me. My mother had also painted with watercolors and focused on motifs of the Southwest. The scull painting of hers that now hangs in my home is one of my favorites and I find that painting sculls myself if a cathartic way of connecting with her. 

And, of course, there is the undeniable influence of Georgia O’Keeffe. Living in New Mexico O’Keeffe’s work powerfully influenced my mom’s style. Her love of O’Keefe must have passed to me, because I wrote my first biographical report in the 5th grade on O’Keefe.

Painting this motif with these earth based pigments has been a powerful way of connecting my present with the past, the land, and the people who have come before me who have also loved this land.