Painting Sabino Canyon

One of my very favorite places on earth to paint is in Sabino Canyon - just north of Tucson Arizona.
There are two beautiful views of this canyon - first outside the canyon proper near the visitor's center. Secondly, inside the canyon where there are 9 stone bridges that transverse the year round Sabino Creek. The waterway is lined with deciduous trees... cottonwood, sycamore and willow; however, just a bit beyond the treetops are steep slopes supporting stands of saguaro cactus.

And yet above the cactus are impressive cliffs of stone - the most visible called "Thimble Peak" in the north of the canyon.

My first visit to this canyon was, way back, in 1973 when my family moved to Tucson. I was impressed then, and am still overwhelmed with emotion on each visit. It's no wonder that I love portraying this special place in my paintings.