The Story Behind the Painting

Sedona’s Red Rock Roadrunner, affectionately known as “Morgan,” is my tribute to one of Sedona’s most playful and recognizable landmarks. The original steel sculpture, as seen here, was created by artists Don Kennell and Lisa Adler. It greets visitors at the Morgan Road roundabout with a sense of motion, humor, and personality.

Morgan” the Sedona Red Rock Roadrunner sculpture by Don Kennell and
Lisa Adler, Morgan Road roundabout, Sedona, AZ.

In my painting, Morgan strides confidently through the desert, his path subtly pointing toward Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, and Castle Rock. Rendered in fluorescent acrylics, his feathers glow with layered blues, purples, and desert tones that echo the vibrancy and whimsy of Sedona itself.

Hidden within the red rock forms are quiet details—small hearts tucked into the landscape—gentle invitations for viewers to slow down, look closer, and form their own connection with the piece.

Day-to-Night Transformation

In natural light, Sedona’s Red Rock Roadrunner is alive with saturated color and movement. Under black light, the original painting undergoes a dramatic transformation. Fluorescent pigments ignite, edges sharpen, and the image takes on a glowing, almost three-dimensional presence that feels as if Morgan is stepping forward off the canvas.

This day-to-night effect is unique to the original painting. Reproductions do not fluoresce, but they faithfully preserve the energy, composition, and color relationships that make Morgan such a joyful and expressive work.

Available Formats & Editions

Sedona’s Red Rock Roadrunner is available in the following formats:

• Original fluorescent acrylic painting
  • Limited Edition Hand-Embellished Giclées (edition of 25)
  • Canvas gallery wrap giclées
  • Luminous Metal prints
  • Giclée art prints

Each Limited Edition Hand-Embellished Giclée begins as a museum-quality giclée made at the same size as the original. It is then returned to my studio, where I hand-embellish the surface using fluorescent acrylics—adding texture, subtle color shifts, and glowing highlights.

Even for works that were not originally painted with fluorescents, these hand-embellished editions may receive fluorescent acrylic accents by request, introducing the same luminous, day-to-night presence that has become a hallmark of my work. No two are ever exactly alike.

The Heart of It All

Art lights up the same part of your brain as

falling in love—it’s an unforgettable feeling.

Collector’s Note

Collectors are drawn to Morgan for its sense of joy, movement, and personality. It brings lightness and color into a space and is often chosen for rooms that benefit from energy, warmth, and a reminder that art can be playful as well as meaningful.

Within my Top Nine collection, Morgan plays a special role. While works like Cathedral Moon and Sedona’s Mystical Moonrise lean toward reverence and stillness, Morgan stands as a celebration—proof that Southwest art can smile, move, and glow all at once.

Sedona’s Red Rock Roadrunner is part of my ongoing exploration of luminous Southwest art inspired by Sedona’s landscapes.

For me, this painting is not just an image of a roadrunner—it’s a celebration of place, of Kennell and Adler’s original sculpture, and of Sedona’s unique balance of beauty, humor, and spirit.

Gallery Representation

My work is also featured at the Village Gallery in Sedona—a Sedona art gallery known for representing only hand-made artwork by local artists, widely regarded as the true heart of Sedona’s art community.