Another painting based on a photo my mom took on one of her many trips, this one depicting a close up of a group of buttes on a bright sunny day. Being a native Michigander, desert landscapes like these are somewhat foreign to me, and that's, I think, why I love painting them so much. There's a severity to this part of the country, a ruthlessness of nature that can feel almost predatory, like the very land itself is out to get you. These things weren't running through my head when I painted this one, however. This painting is nice and simple, and I believe has a "solidness" to it, much like the land it depicts.