This is a repost from 2014. It is an all time favorite painting of mine, and…

It is that time of year where I load my family, our bikes and backpacking gear, and more art supplies than you can imagine and head to New Mexico. I will arrive to the sunshine, and the sunsets, the trails and rattlers. I will arrive to friends old and new, and together we will grow, and learn and experience the magic of the painted desert.

I will arrive to unpack our belongings in our home away from home, a small campground at my favorite end of the ranch. This little trailer belongs to our dear friends Tom and Eddie, they are an important part of our little camp. I know that after a long day Tom will be waiting with his arms to give me a big bear hug (and maybe a cold beer). I know that if I hear their camper door open and close twice in close succession around 5am that someone got up because nature was calling, and went back for a camera to capture the sunrise. The double camper door has become my alarm to fireman my way out of bed to plein air paint the sunrise.

I suppose we are all packing up to head to the Ranch to create our gypsy village for the summer. Travel safe dear friends old and new.

I did this painting from a photo my dear friend Jodi took.