It was my first time visiting the Big Bend National Park with months of preparations.  Nerves and excitement were running high in anticipation of this highly sought out destination.  The weather was set for over 100 degrees and my family and I would jump from shop to shop in the hottest of the afternoons to escape the sun.  Our nighttime views at the campsite were absolutely breathtaking and worth the sweat equity.  Our first destination in the park was Santa Elena Canyon.  As intermediate hikers and outdoor adventurists, we were prepared for what was to come.  Yet the sheer magnitude of the canyon was something we had never experienced and our minds teemed with awe.  Armed with loads of sunscreen and water we hiked up and down the side of the canyon and found solitude in the shadows of the trail's end.  A well-deserved rest was necessary to make the trek back as I shot this photo.  A perfect memoir of our excursion for the day as we had many more to come.  

I had planned on creating this painting with a bit less vibrancy, yet the outcome happened naturally and is a snapshot of what my mind's eye took from that day.  I simply cannot wait to visit again. 

Heavy body acrylic on gallery-wrapped 1.5" canvas