Original artwork description:

The term "Badlands" sounds so mysterious and exotic to someone like me coming from a totally different geographic area. Wikipedia states "Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded by wind and water. They are characterized by steep slopes, minimal vegetation, lack of a substantial regolith, and high drainage density." Native Americans called these type of areas "Badlands" because the rocky terrain, lack of water and extreme temperatures made it difficult to traverse.

"Nambe Badlands Study I" was my first opportunity to paint this particular area with a group of my plein air artist friends, but I have since returned many time in various seasons. The tree was the only one I saw for miles around, and the flowers of the chamisas (a native shrub) had already faded from their intense golden color to a soft yellow white. The beautiful blues of the distant mountains combined with the desert vegetation spoke to my color sensibilities. I liked the way the tree anchored the composition and created balance with the dark green juniper on the right.

Working on location is a challenge, even when the weather is perfect, because the light is constantly changing. I use palette knives and silicon painting tools to apply my oil paint, working quickly to capture my impression of the subject. I enjoy the marks and texture they produce, and rarely bring brushes with me when painting outside.

When the painting is sufficiently dry, I appy a protective varnish (Gamvar) and later a thin layer of Cold Wax Medium. The surface has a beautiful sheen which is neither shiny nor matte. Varnishes provide a non-porous layer which prevents dust and dirt from being embedded over time in the more porous paint layers beneath.

Materials used:

Oil

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