Desert Rains, 10x12

Just outside of Tucson, somewhere to the east, a large spring comes out of the ground.  It was turned into a reservoir for a ranch and now is a park.  Fish swim lazily from pool to pool in the shallow water.  Waterfowl swim in and out of the trees and the air has a fresh scent from the flowers.  You can stand in all the lushness and stare out at tall cactus, rock and sand, dry as a bone, and watch as the rains evaporate before hitting the ground.  A refreshing place.

This was painted there several years ago but didn't make the cut.  I stumbled on it going through one of my boxes and realized that it just needed a few strokes to pull it together....so I added them the other night and think it's good enough to be called a study for something larger.  Who knows when that might happen....

Convent Gate, 12x16

Two years ago on a hot Tucson day, my friend Mic and I stood in the shade and did some studies of this beautiful scene.  Getting home I used the material to do this larger piece.  The other day I ran across it along with the studies and with about twenty minutes work it coalesced into this....which I like.  The field studies emphasized the old cathedral tower but this version, which lets the gate and wall take over, seems to work best.

Remember to go to my blog and make comments this month for a free painting.  At the end of the month I'll draw from all the comments to pick the winner.  The blog is at: http://darrellanderson.blogspot.com/  Click on the word 'Comments' at the end of that days post.