Cairn #3

Oil on canvas,  12 x 24 in

Its been 6 months since I've encountered one of these cairns in the desert...its now January, and I'm already longing for my next big hike in the warmer months ahead.

After looking at the painting for awhile, I realized that the oval shaped rock in the foreground reminds me of an egg.  This is my first completed painting of 2012...so perhaps the egg symbolizes the surprises and good things I'm eagerly anticipating in the year ahead!

I love applying the creamy highlights of paint like frosting to the canvas.  I tried to capture the light and shadows of an early morning outside Moab, UT.  Its very cold in desert at this time of day, but the growing sunlight cuts through the frost and long shadows.

Its feels good to return to my palette after the holidays and time in Italy.  I wish you all the best in 2012!  Buon Anno!