Joshua Tree National Park

 

Sheesh! I haven't been over to nearby Joshua Tree National Park for a long time. It IS one of my inspirational places to go for doing paintings, after all. (Of course, the Covid-19 shutdowns didn't help).

So I went there today! Weather was pleasant-to-warm, no high winds and I was in the mood. Besides, I needed some fresh material for paintings, and it's just good to go there once in a while!

Had to do some hiking and a little climbing for the picture of the red barrel cactus -- but I think it was worth it!

Oh -- and I saw a couple of lizards, too. This one is a female side-blotched lizard. (The other was a horned lizard, but I couldn't get a clear shot of that little guy).

Cute, huh?

I had hoped to make it to some other spots, but sunset came all too quickly, so -- another time. Soon. Before the oven heat begins. Such is life in the desert!

Mark Junge

www.MarkJunge.com or www.SouthwestSpaces.com

Firerock

The latest painting -- Firerock, 8" x 10" / 20cm x 25cm.

Firerock (aka Red Mountain) is the volcanic mountain out there which I believe is on the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community south of Fountain Hills (NE of Scottsdale), AZ.

This is how it looked when I drove through there to set up for an art show in Fountain Hills. A storm had just cleared up, and the desert had all these beautiful colors. I added some clouds, and I deleted the homes and gated communities that had been built where I showed open desert in the foreground.

I went by at the right time. The following evenings, the area wasn't as colorful. On occasion, timing is everything! 😃

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Happy Easter!!!

Everybody knows Easter is all about a warm sunny day filled with flowers, bunnies, chocolate eggs and jelly beans. Maybe the kids will go searching in an Easter egg hunt or looking for an Easter basket hidden somewhere in the house. That's what Easter is all about, right?

Well, not exactly.

You see -- God loves us and wants to dwell with us, living the perfect life and attitudes He had in mind for us. But there's one big problem -- we don't do so good at living a perfect life according to His standards. In fact, we suck at it, and it ticks God off!

He loves us, but He can't put up with our disobedience -- another way of saying sin. We deserve to be thrown into hell because we make God miserable, as well as ourselves and everyone else. He's got a pretty high standard, and hey! God made us!! He makes the rules, and serving Him instead of ourselves is as good as it gets.

Thankfully, God gave us a way out. He used to require sacrifices as a way of making things right with Him, but then He had another idea: He sent His Son to be a sacrifice in place of the ones we came up with. His Son, of course, is Jesus Christ.

Jesus was crucified -- nailed to a cross as a blood sacrifice. He died, but He became alive again three days later. He took our sins/disobedient acts on Himself, thus cleaning up our acts once and for all, and by rising from the grave, He conquered the deaths that WE deserve.

Why did He do this? Because He loves us and didn't want any of us to languish forever in hell. All we have to do is: accept the notion that Jesus did this and that He is now our Lord as well as our Savior from hell. And follow Him. As imperfect as we are, God wants us to try, at least, to live a live of obedience to Him. In other words, this is NOT an anything goes kind of contract.

Is there a Plan B? What about those who live a good and moral life but who don't accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior?

Well, the Bible isn't that hopeful for people in that position. I can hope that Christ's death and resurrection is one method for being saved (although Jesus Himself said He is the ONLY way, and it's hard to see a Plan B in that).

So I'M sticking with Plan A, and I pray that anyone reading this will do likewise. Eternity is a long, LONG time!!!

Ohh... In case you really need a bunny, here's a picture of ours! 😃

Superstitions

Superstitions are, of course, funny kinds of beliefs about things; it is also the name of a group of mountains in the desert east of Phoenix, Arizona, USA.

Superstitions                      acrylic/panel                     18" x 24"/46cm x 61cm

And so -- my latest painting is entitled Superstitions, in reference to the above-named mountains. I wanted the image to have a sort of surreal, almost spooky feel to capitalize on the name of these rocks.

I've been to these mountains several times, but admittedly -- I never saw them enshrouded in clouds. But I have seen photos of cloud-covered Superstition Mountains, and I knew that was what I needed to do! Plus -- I want to get more into atmospheric effects in my paintings, anyway.

So -- enjoy the painting, and no -- I'm not superstitious!!😃

Onward!!

OK, OK...I didn't post anything for the month of February (which seemed to slip by awfully fast, didn't it?)

Not that I haven't been painting -- I've been wanting to get better at rendering portraits and figurative work, so I painted a lovely young female Facebook friend just to see how I would do. It's a ways from the level I would like to be at, but I'd say it ain't bad. (However, I didn't get her permission to post it anywhere -- maybe I'll show it here in the near future).

Meanwhile, I have three paintings in progress now, and I have ideas in my head for more.

So I'll keep moving onward and upward! Practice drawing and painting human beans, and paint landscapes that show the drama nature can unleash on us, as well as pretty scenes that will make you want to go there!

www.MarkJunge.com or www.SouthwestSpaces.com

 

Hippity-Hop

If you're like me, you think bunnies are cute. Jackrabbits are, too!

Hippity-Hop: Blacktailed Jackrabbit           a/p         8" x 10" / 20cm x 25cm

I decided to paint him ambling along rather than running full-out to escape a predator (that may be another painting!) Still, I blurred the shrubs in the background to look like things are in motion. Also, the clouds in the sky are intended to simulate clouds of dust that the jackrabbit is stirring up.

Jackrabbits can run 40mph / 64km/h (compared to desert cottontail rabbits which run at 19mph / 30km/h), although it can be difficult to clock the critters because they zigzag when they run, and they often bound into the air so they can look above the vegetation to see if they're being pursued.

In our former home, jackrabbits would occasionally come by and share the rabbit pellets we put out for the cottontails. The jacks had a special, endearing appeal when they moved around in their long-legged lanky way when they seemed almost clumsy!

I'm glad I had an opportunity to paint one of these amazing critters!

Mark Junge

www.MarkJunge.com or www.SouthwestSpaces.com

Possibly Prefers a Prickly Perch!

Cactus Wren is my last painting from 2020! 08" x 10" / 20cm x 25cm, acrylic on panel.

Cactus wrens are birds we see in the southwestern deserts (such as where I live!) and seem to be able to land on and flit about within the prickliest cactus without impaling themselves or stabbing themselves with thorns. In fact, they even build their nests in the branches of cactus like the teddy bear cholla shown in the painting. I can't imagine what predators would be able to get past the thorns and attack the birds or the eggs!

The males and females look pretty much the same, so I couldn't tell you if this birdie is a boy or a girl. While I can't say cactus wrens are songbirds, they make a distinctive sound that I've heard referred to as the "call of the desert." I agree with that characterization. This is what they sound like.

I love these critters!

Mark Junge

www.MarkJunge.com or www.SouthwestSpaces.com