It's a striking feature of central Arizona's lakes that they are surrounded by statuesque Saguaros and deceptively Teddy Bearish Cholla cacti, so the approach to the expanse of water reflecting a Cerulean sky is always both a little surprising and refreshing. Almost like rare water holes in Africa, I expect to see prey and predators both nearby, but didn't on this sunny day. This tiny painting (3.5" x 3.5") -- an artistic challenge?-- was made one March afternoon at the lakeshore of SB Cove, facing the well-known Yellow Cliffs near the northern end of Bartlett Lake. The rocks of the cliffs take on their yellow coloration due to an extensive colony of yellow "crustose" lichen. Lichen is a fascinating organism. Actually it is not a single organism, but a symbiotic community of algae or cyanobacteria living with a fungus. Lichen biology is fascinating, and this type can come in bright colors of green, yellow, red and more. The Yellow Cliffs are glowing a little toward the greenish here, but still distinctive and angled to create such a nice composition above the dark reflections of sky and rocks on the water. I'll find or make a just-so frame for this painting, so stay tuned for another photo.
It's a striking feature of central Arizona's lakes that they are surrounded by statuesque Saguaros and deceptively Teddy Bearish Cholla cacti, so the approach to the expanse of water reflecting a Cerulean sky is always both a little surprising and refreshing. Almost like rare water holes in Africa, I expect to see prey and predators both nearby, but didn't on this sunny day. This tiny painting (3.5" x 3.5") -- an artistic challenge?-- was made one March afternoon at the lakeshore of SB Cove, facing the well-known Yellow Cliffs near the northern end of Bartlett Lake. The rocks of the cliffs take on their yellow coloration due to an extensive colony of yellow "crustose" lichen. Lichen is a fascinating organism. Actually it is not a single organism, but a symbiotic community of algae or cyanobacteria living with a fungus. Lichen biology is fascinating, and this type can come in bright colors of green, yellow, red and more. The Yellow Cliffs are glowing a little toward the greenish here, but still distinctive and angled to create such a nice composition above the dark reflections of sky and rocks on the water. I'll find or make a just-so frame for this painting, so stay tuned for another photo.
#165 - Acrylic on Canvas
Painting: 3” x 3”
In Frame: 4 1/2” x 4 1/2”
