Beauty at the Breaks

I thought it would be warmer the day we visited Cedar Breaks. The sky was clear, the sun was out, it was a beautiful day! Just cold. The contrasts of the high-plateau are stark if not stunning, especially along Spectra Point where the Bristlecone pines have grown for as long as 1,600 years. I wanted to do something relating to automobile travel in the parks as usual. The view of the amphitheater below, however, isn't visible from the road. And the view from the spectacular rim is everything.

I usually don't recommend viewing the canyon from the rim with a coat on your head, but as I mentioned before, it was cold that day!

This picture of a Bristlecone was the inspiration for the poster. I couldn't quite comprehend the branches, so I used a different tree for reference. I also later decided I needed a figure, so my kind wife posed once again for the reference photo.

The tree was a challenge to draw, but I felt good about the outcome. The study is pictured below:

And finally, the final product:

Beware of the Goblins

Goblins are scary. I have seen the movies, I know you should steer clear of the creatures. Well, at least the living ones. Goblins that have been magically turned to stone, however, I highly recommend visiting. The fantastical valley of the Goblins in southern Utah is a magical place. Walking among the stone formations leaves you questioning whether or not your still on earth, and if you have seen the movie Galaxy Quest, you are convinced. This other-worldly feel was what I hoped to capture in form and in color.

Human scale is one of Goblin Valley's charms. So many of Utah's landscapes exhibit monolithic formations of gargantuan proportions. You can also imagine from this picture that the spectator could be having a conversation with the creatures she is facing.

I liked this view of the valley from behind. Surrounded by the towers of stone, one feels isolated from an expected environment. I wonder if she is thirsty out there.

Wait this isn't Goblin Valley! Talk about an expected environment. I needed a figure for my final piece, so I grabbed a missionary on the street to pose for me. Perhaps he has a future as a model!

Below, I have included a study of the Goblins, and the final rendering of the poster:

Next time: Beauty at the Breaks