Owyhee Sunset

The Owyhee Canyonlands Wilderness Area in southwest Idaho is a remote landscape where I had the privilege of serving as artist in residence for the Bureau of Land Management some years ago. While exploring with wilderness rangers, we witnessed a quietly dramatic sunset in an amazing, large stand of dead trees. Their fine branches glowed the most incredible blue-violet color in the evening light, and as we watched the sun set, the last light of day caught on the tips of the grasses. Both of these effects are challenging to capture in watercolor, requiring a significant amount of painting the negative spaces around fine details. I relish this kind of work, and the risk involved in the process.