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Butte Family

Butte Family

Friends –

I did not think that I would have time to squeeze in another painting this year, but I found that art-abstinence is not a good plan for me. Instead, I decided to hop up to the studio and test out a longer-sized surface to see if it was useful for the expansive landscapes of SE Utah.


I've been out in those parts long enough such that certain rocks have become so much more than mere geologic formations. They really seem to have personalities and moods and I can't help but imagine that they share in conversations with each other. They must bemuse about the weather and the tourists and commiserate with each other when things are not going according to plan. This feels true in many places, but particularly up near Monitor and Merrimac Buttes. They really seem like 'parents' that are somehow able to reproduce smaller formations (buttitos?) which they allow to romp the highlands if they are well-behaved.

'Butte Family' is one that I previously attempted to paint plein air in October, but I had only 11x14" surface. Thus, when I painted it I had to 'split up the family', so to speak. With this 12x24" board I could bring the whole gang together and was able to include Monitor Butte on the left, as well as all of the children buttes on the right. After all, Families Belong Together.


You might imagine that 'splitting up families' has been on my mind, and it has. Thus, I would prefer that the funds for the purchase of this painting go to an organization such as NorCal Resist that is helping asylum seekers here as well as desperate immigrants stranded on the other side of the 'wall' in Mexico. There are others, so we can talk if you are interested.




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