The desert - a destination for vision quests, attracting seekers and believers who carry home tales of mystical experiences. Great songs and dramatized books have been written about the transcendental power of the desert. But where does this concept come from?

During the Paleozoic era the Mojave Desert was covered by shallow seas. These fluctuating seas deposited thousands of meters of sediment that can be seen in banded mountains throughout the Mojave. 

If water is a symbol for life, then the desert represents death. Death in the literal sense, but also as a metaphor for impermanence. Everything that is, one day no longer will be. So maybe this dry barren land is evidence to us that we are all powerless to the forces of nature.

Reflecting on our temporary existence and the temporal state of the very land which we stand, has the potential to put life into perspective. It inspires us to see beyond our daily worries and contemplate what else is out there. Not out of fear, for this too is beautiful.

Inspired by Death Valley National Park, this series of paintings aims to capture the beauty of this unique landscape as well as a visual representation of the unseen - the grandest version of what may be beyond the physical.