Sometimes the Greatest Inspiration Comes from a Friend

Some of Sedona Original Paintings begin with a hike through Sedona.

Others begin with a camera. This one began with a friendship.

For fifteen wonderful years, my friend Beverly Kievman Copen called Sedona home. An accomplished author and photographer, Bev had an uncanny ability to recognize those fleeting moments when nature quietly whispered, “Pay attention.”

One evening during Sedona’s monsoon season, she did exactly that. Standing outside her home, she watched towering storm clouds ignite into brilliant shades of orange, crimson, and gold behind a fully blooming century plant. As if nature had one more surprise in store, hummingbirds began feeding among the blossoms while the sky continued to grow even more dramatic.

Bev captured that magical moment with her camera.

She titled it Sunset of the Century.

Weeks later, it was awarded the Grand Prize in the 2011 Arizona Highways Photography Contest.

Years afterward, while searching for inspiration for my next painting, I kept returning to Bev’s photograph. I asked if she would allow me to paint my own interpretation.

Thankfully, she said yes.

That generosity became the beginning of this painting.

Rather than recreating her photograph, I wanted to celebrate it through my own artistic voice.

Painting Through My Own Eyes

Every artist tells a story differently.

Using fluorescent acrylics, I transformed Bev’s unforgettable sunset into glowing layers of luminous color, allowing the century plant to become the true hero of the composition while interpreting the scene through my own artistic voice.

The hummingbird is entirely my own creation, painted in the whimsical style that has become one of the hallmarks of my work over the years. If you look closely, you may even discover a few tiny hearts hidden throughout the painting—a signature that many of my collectors enjoy searching for.

This isn’t a copy of an award-winning photograph.

It’s my tribute to an extraordinary moment, reimagined through my own eyes.

From Beverly’s Lens to My Easel

Sunset of the Century by Beverly Kievman Copen, winner of the Grand Prize in the 2011 Arizona Highways Photography Contest.

My dear friend, author and photographer Beverly Kievman Copen, graciously gave me permission to interpret her Grand Prize-winning Arizona Highways photograph, Sunset of the Century. Rather than reproduce her image, I wanted to honor it through my own artistic vision using fluorescent acrylics, a stylized hummingbird, and the hidden hearts that have become part of my signature style.

The Heart of It All

The century plant has always fascinated me.

In fact, my interest goes well beyond painting them. Two century plants bloomed here at my home in Sedona. After they completed their life cycle, I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away. Instead, I gave them a second life. One became my Christmas tree, its branches naturally holding ornaments and lights, while the other still stands on my deck, illuminated each evening. They’re not decorations or studio props—they’re simply part of my everyday life. Like many of my Sedona Original Paintings, Century’s Final Song celebrates not only the beauty of the Southwest but also the stories that make each landscape meaningful.

One of the century plants that bloomed at my Sedona home now enjoys a second life as our family Christmas tree—a daily reminder of the remarkable plant that inspired both Desert Sentinel and Century’s Final Song.

Knowing that a century plant quietly waits for decades before producing one spectacular bloom has always seemed symbolic to me. It spends years gathering strength before revealing its greatest beauty, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and countless desert birds.

After this magnificent display, the plant completes its life cycle.

I’ve always found that deeply moving.

Perhaps that’s why Century’s Final Song resonates with me. The painting isn’t simply about an award-winning sunset or a remarkable photograph. It’s also about patience, perseverance, friendship, and the extraordinary beauty that sometimes arrives only after years of quiet waiting.

Like the century plant itself, some of life’s greatest rewards don’t arrive quickly. When they finally do, they’re worth every minute of the wait.

Day-to-Night Transformation

Like many of my fluorescent acrylic originals, Century’s Final Song offers two distinctly different experiences.

This unique day-to-night experience has become one of the defining characteristics of my Sedona Original Paintings.

By day, collectors enjoy the warmth of Sedona’s dramatic monsoon colors and the quiet elegance of the century plant reaching skyward.

Under black light, carefully placed fluorescent pigments reveal an entirely different personality as the sky, blossoms, and hummingbird begin to glow.

My Limited Edition Hand-Embellished Giclées are individually enhanced with fluorescent acrylics, allowing collectors to enjoy much of that same luminous experience at approximately one-third the investment of the original.

Continue the Journey

Each one tells another chapter in my collection of Sedona Original Paintings, inspired by the beauty of Sedona and the American Southwest.

🌵 Desert Sentinel

If Desert Sentinel tells the beginning of the century plant’s remarkable story, Century’s Final Song celebrates its unforgettable finale. Together, they honor one of the Southwest’s most iconic desert plants—from its quiet strength to its spectacular final bloom beneath a glowing Sedona sky.

Explore Desert Sentinel

🌄 Sedona’s Cathedral Serenity 

If you’re drawn to Sedona’s dramatic skies and peaceful reflections, Sedona’s Cathedral Serenity continues my lifelong fascination with Cathedral Rock. Created nearly a decade after my breakthrough painting Creekside Cathedral, it captures another unforgettable moment at Red Rock Crossing.

Discover Sedona’s Cathedral Serenity

🌙 Coyote’s Lunar Serenade 

As daylight fades, another side of Sedona awakens. Coyote’s Lunar Serenade celebrates the mystery of the desert beneath a glowing moon, where hidden hearts, wildlife, and fluorescent acrylics transform the landscape into something almost magical.

Explore Coyote’s Lunar Serenade

🏜 Browse My Sedona Landscape Paintings 

From Cathedral Rock and Oak Creek to towering saguaros, glowing skies, hummingbirds, and iconic red rock formations, explore my complete collection of Sedona Original Paintings inspired by the beauty of the American Southwest.

Browse All Sedona Landscape Paintings →

Available Formats & Editions

• Original Fluorescent Acrylic – The one-of-a-kind original that transforms under black light.

• Limited Edition Hand-Embellished Giclées –  Only 25 editions, individually enhanced with fluorescent acrylics, signed McShep, numbered, and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

• Canvas Gallery Wraps – Museum-quality reproductions ready to hang.

• Luminous Metal Prints – Brilliant color and exceptional detail.

• Fine Art Paper Giclées – Ideal for custom framing.

• Gift Art Photo Plaques – A beautiful way to enjoy this artwork in a smaller format.

A Personal Reflection

As artists, we’re often inspired by places. Sometimes we’re inspired by people. This painting is both.

I’m deeply grateful to my friend Beverly for allowing me to reinterpret one of her most treasured photographs. Her camera captured an extraordinary moment in time. My hope was simply to honor that moment while telling the story in my own way.

Every time I look at Century’s Final Song, I’m reminded that nature’s greatest gifts often arrive without warning—and that the friendships we make along the way can inspire us just as deeply as the landscapes we paint. I hope this painting finds a special place among your favorite Sedona Original Paintings and brings a little of Sedona’s magic into your home.

Thank you, Bev, for trusting me with your beautiful photograph and for reminding us all to pay attention when nature decides to put on a show.

— Clark Sheppard

About the Artist

Clark Sheppard creates Sedona Original Paintings inspired by the breathtaking landscapes, vibrant colors, and spiritual beauty of the American Southwest. Working primarily in fluorescent acrylics, he creates luminous paintings that transform under black light while celebrating the places that continue to inspire his artistic journey.

Clark’s work is featured at the Village Gallery in Sedona—a gallery devoted exclusively to handmade artwork by local artists and widely regarded as the heart of Sedona’s local art scene. You can also find my paintings at Creative Gateways, a contemporary Sedona gallery featuring fine art and jewelry in a welcoming setting, and at Desert Valley Gallery in Tivoli Village, Las Vegas, where creativity, beauty, and craftsmanship come together in an inspiring environment.

If you’re visiting Sedona, you’re always welcome to stop by Sedona Art Studios for a complimentary studio tour and see where these paintings come to life.