Embers in the Distance

Medium: Acrylic
Size: 8X10 inches
Location: Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Nevada 

This original en plein air painting was created during an artist residency at Desert National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada. Painted on location, this piece captures the shifting color and atmosphere of the desert sky as the day fades into evening.

Facing away from the Sheep Range, the landscape opens into distant, unnamed mountains softened by distance and light. The focus of the painting rests in the sky layered with warm oranges, muted violets, and cool blues that move and settle as the sun drops below the horizon.

Working outdoors allowed me to respond quickly to the changing light, preserving a moment that exists only briefly each day. The brushwork remains loose and intuitive, reflecting both the pace of the environment and the fleeting nature of the scene.

This piece is less about a specific landmark and more about the experience of place—the quiet, expansive feeling of standing in the desert as the light slowly disappears.