Dusk After the Rain

Dusk After the Rain
Painting No. 9-E-12
9"x12" oil on linen panel

It had rained for nearly 18 hours straight. The rivers were swollen to their banks and the tops of the highest peaks had a fresh dusting on snow. I decided to paint this view of the Madison Valley because of the available trees vs. the mountains, to add depth and perspective. Directly behind me is the confluence of the Gibbon River and the Firehole River which becomes the Madison River, some of the most legendary fly fishing in the Western United States. But more importantly, this is the spot where the 1870 Yellowstone Expedition camped overnight and discussed the unique qualities of this place and how they should be protected for all Americans. This conversation became the birthplace of the idea of the National Park System. In some ways, this is sacred ground of the central idea that we as Americans can protect areas of our vast western landscape to always remember the explorer and discoverer in all of us that is part of the American culture.