My Southwest Watercolor Paintings — Where the Journey Began

Watercolor holds a special place in my artistic journey. Long before fluorescent acrylics, patterned skies, and my Vivid Mystical Landscapes became part of my work, Southwest watercolor paintings taught me to look closely at light, shape, shadow, and the extraordinary colors of the desert.

I began painting later in life, and watercolor became an important part of discovering what kind of artist I wanted to be. The Southwest gave me an endless supply of subjects—from Sedona’s red rocks and desert vegetation to adobe architecture and the landscapes I encountered throughout Arizona and New Mexico.

Learning to See the Southwest Differently

Watercolor taught me that sometimes what you leave out can be just as important as what you put in. Its transparency encouraged me to simplify shapes, experiment with color, and allow the white of the paper to become part of the painting.

Works such as Pitiado remind me of that earlier period. Painted in 1993, it came from my experiences around Tucson and even received its unusual title through a radio contest. Those early paintings may look quite different from my work today, but I can still see the beginnings of my fascination with strong color and the personality of the Southwest.

From Watercolor to Vivid Mystical Landscapes

My art has changed considerably over the years. Watercolors eventually led to oils and acrylics, and later to fluorescent acrylics, patterned skies, hidden surprises, and increasingly imaginative interpretations of the landscape.

Yet the foundation remains remarkably similar: look at a place, find what makes it special, and then decide how I want to tell its story.

Continue Exploring My Art

To see where that journey eventually led, explore my Sedona Landscape Paintings and Vivid Mystical Landscapes, or Go Behind the Canvas for the stories, techniques, influences, and experiences that have shaped my work over the years.