Every now and then, a painting arrives that feels less like a composition and more like an epiphany. For me, Pure Joy was that moment. I wanted to show the immensity of Sedona’s Cathedral Rock—not just its size, but its presence, its weight, and its unshakable hold on the landscape. To do that, I made a decision I rarely make: to scale, I placed a human figure in the scene. The lone hiker standing in the saddle provides scale to the towering formation. Suddenly, its height and mass are undeniable. And with that recognition comes something deeper: a sense of awe that turns into gratitude. That change is the reason for the painting’s title.
I chose fluorescent acrylics for this piece because they reflect light in a way no other medium can. In daylight, the painting gleams with saturated desert hues—burnt sienna, piñon greens, cobalt blues. But under black light, the original reveals its hidden self. The pigments ignite, creating a subtle 3D dimensionality. The spires of Cathedral Rock seem to lift forward, while the sky deepens into layers of blue-black space. Collectors who have stood before the original often describe it as two paintings in one: a bold, glowing Sedona landscape by day, and a quiet, dimensional vision by night.
That duality is part of what connects Pure Joy to my other fluorescent works, like Devil’s Bridge and Coyote’s Lunar Serenade. Each uses the medium’s unique chemistry to create more than an image—they create an experience. But Pure Joy has something different: the human presence. The hiker may be small, but the figure invites the viewer in, becoming a stand-in for anyone who has ever craned their neck at Sedona’s cliffs and felt small in the best way.
Like many of my works, I include hidden hearts within the rock and desert shapes. They serve as subtle reminders of the love we hold for places that move us, and the love those places give back when we pay attention. Collectors often tell me they enjoy finding these hearts—discoveries that make the painting feel personal, as if it’s speaking directly to them.
That theme of love is echoed in its sister painting, Lover’s View, which draws on an ancient Sedona legend. The story tells of two passionate lovers whose fiery arguments echoed through the canyons until the Great Spirit intervened. They were transformed into majestic stone spires, standing back-to-back yet forever together—a silent reminder that love and pride must find balance. That haunting legend imbues Lover’s View with a timeless romance, while Pure Joy carries the softer echo of that same theme through hidden hearts and gratitude. Together, the two paintings stand as companions: one rooted in myth, the other in lived experience of awe and humility.
The original Pure Joy has long since found its home, but the image endures in reproductions. Canvas gallery wraps and luminous metal prints preserve much of the layered depth, while giclée art prints provide a way to experience its energy in smaller formats. Though only the original glows under black light, the reproductions still radiate warmth and presence. They glow in their own way—offering Sedona’s light to homes far beyond Arizona.
What makes Pure Joy one of my most meaningful works is its emotional resonance. This is not a painting of spectacle or, dramatically, a painting of recognition. To stand in Sedona is to feel both small and held, both humbled and elevated. I wanted this painting to capture that paradox, to give viewers a way to breathe a little deeper and feel gratitude simply by looking.
Within my Top Nine collection, Pure Joy stands as a companion to other Cathedral Rock works like Cathedral Moon and Creekside Cathedral, licensed by Warner Bros., each showing different facets of Sedona’s most iconic landmark. Together, they trace an arc of reverence: from watercolor beginnings to oil transformations and fluorescent experiments in light. Pure Joy, with its luminous sky, hidden hearts, and lone figure, is a reminder that scale and spirit are inseparable.
In the end, Pure Joy is exactly what its title promises: a celebration. A celebration of light, of presence, of gratitude, and of the landscapes—and legends—that make us feel alive. It remains a cornerstone in my journey and a favorite for collectors who want Sedona’s grandeur to adorn their walls.
Explore Pure Joy and the full Top Nine collection.