Thunder and Sun

I was 13 when I first laid eyes upon the magnificent Agathla Peak when visiting Monument Valley with my family in 1964. Agathla rises 1,500 feet above the surrounding landscape making it visible for miles. I remember being transfixed watching the peak rise into the sky while riding north from Kayenta, Arizona in the family car. Even at that young age I understood why Agathla is a sacred mountain for the Dine’ people. The name derives from the Navajo which means “much wool” The unreal landscape of the Monument Valley region has inspired several paintings over the years and inspired me again this year. For me there is nothing more magnificent than a moment of sun bursting through a dark thunderstorm. 

Oil on Canvas Board

16″ x 16″