Caldera on Fire

Medium: Acrylic on canvas panel
Size: 9X12 inches
Location: Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico
Year: 2024

Parinted during my residency at Valles Caldera Nation Preserve, this piece captures one of those fleeting high-desert sunset where the entire sky seems to ignite for just a few minutes before fading into evening. Thick bands of glowing orange and deep violet clouds rolled across the caldera while the dark tree line settled quietly beneath them. 

I painted this on location, chasing the fast-cahnging light and dramatic color shifts as the storm clouds broke apart overhead. The sweeping sky and open horizon reflec the scale and stillness that make Valles Caldera feel both wild and peaceful at the same time.