When people see me out drawing or painting
I hope they are inspired get out their paints
or their pencils or their colored pencils and express
their passion for this land.
This program is connecting the different districts
of the park in my mind together. It has felt so much about bridging.
To have these paintings from the Needles that show
things from the Maze in them and to have
paintings from Island in the Sky of the Needles
and to have paintings from Island
in the Sky of the Maze and just to feel the connectedness
this park. I've been thankful to be
a resident of southeastern Utah since 1980.
One of the things the parks have provided for me
is a place where I can find solstice
and get back to my inner self. And help keep me in a balanced place.
I like to spend time in an area
and really bring out the feeling place.
I like to put lots of colors in my paintings
Colors make me feel joy and I enjoy trying to show the depth of the
landscape through vivid color.
I try to be as vibrant as I can and through that
I hope you can feel the place.
People ask me what's your favorite location? I don't have a favorite spot.
It's the moment. How you choose to look at it,
how you feel in the moment. There's always beauty to find.
In 1981 I gave my camera away
and decided that I really wanted to paint from my drawings. And if I couldn't draw it,
I wasn't going to paint it.
I have gotten very good at drawing since then. A part of me
comes through in every painting. It's not just the cameras eye.
It's my eye.
I think I enjoy the views of
the middle ground the most, because I like to be able to draw things that are
below me
and above me altogether. Canyonlands means so much to me
that I want others to feel the strong feeling I have for Canyonlands.
Bates Wilson
was able to establish this
as a National Park. Thank you Bates!
And I'm so glad that the Park Service continues
to follow his example of stewardship
and care of this country. Keeping Canyonlands as wild
and free and primitive as possible. So that people can have the experience of
self discovery,
of exploring, and finding something new
that touches their hearts.
You're energized by looking out across
all these canyons.
There's so many to explore. And that sense of exploring
also just keeps you going.
You know? Once you down in the canyon, what's around the next bend? What am I going
to find there?
If you get to discover it, then you have
part of an ownership with it. And then you want it preserved
for generations to come. It's very important to me that
Canyonlands is cared for. I want to thank the Park Service for their stewardship
this land.
I'm hoping
through my
paintings that the beauty of these parks
is appreciated, and I am sharing
my passion for this earth
through my paintings.