About the artwork

Death Valley is part of my Southwestern Landscapes series. The series embellishes on the visually abstract nature of primordial terrains: the forms of the rocks, rivers, and bushes, the unparalleled palettes, and the various surfaces, from scruffy to lush, craggy to velvety, gushing to billowy.   The subject matter naturally lends itself to being expressed via contemporary abstract art techniques of color, geometry, texture, shape, line, form, and pattern. As the old can look new to the discerning eye, the series easily falls under the umbrella theme of my works, Ancient is Modern, Modern is Ancient. Inspired by my unforgettable visit to California's Death Valley National Park, Death Valley is a vibrant abstracted amalgamation of the forms of the park's sand dunes and crater enlivened with a powerful palette.  Earthy ochre and olive tones of the sand and passionate crimson of the crater.  Hot electric yellow orange sky.  Sultry textures.   Sensual lines.  Sexual shapes.  But wait.  Might there be a dark side to this abstraction that more truly captures the park's name?  Turn the piece 45 degrees to the left.  Is the caped figure the Harbinger of Death?  Which twist is more ironic?  Life? Or death?  Or are they one in the same for this singular landscape, one leading to the other in a timeless, endless cycle?