It’s true, and I’m working on a third mountain. I work out at my local YMCA to stay in shape.
Thankfully, the mountains are small, 8 by 10 inches. They are part of my new project: A tribute to Phoenix mountains.
The project did not start as “a project”. It grew out of a visit to the Phoenix Art Museum. I looked at the buildings near the museum. I have painted many buildings in many cities in the world. I wondered if there were any Phoenix buildings I should paint. I really hate to look for things to paint, but I threw caution to the wind and began a series of short-range travels around Phoenix, searching for interesting scenes that defined Phoenix, and the larger metropolitan area.
Driving from one end of metro Phoenix to the other is not easy. Roads and highways go up, down, and around many hills and mountains. Then it struck me. The mountains around Phoenix define the city. They influence roads, city and neighborhood boundaries, the location and orientation of buildings, parks, and golf courses, property values, and more. Yet, they are often taken for granted by many of us who live here.
A project was born. I picked some of the better-known mountain peaks to begin the project: Piestewa, Camelback, and Superstition. More will follow. I welcome suggestions. The paintings are done in oil. Piestewa and Camelback are finished. Superstition is in progress. Artists debate the value of showing incomplete work, but this project began by throwing caution to the wind, so here is Superstition as it is at the moment. It will look different by the end of today.
