Serenade

This painting is a culmination of many years of studying this phenomenon on this mountain range in Baja. I have painted this many times en plein air during my 20 years I have experienced this land. It may seem odd but, when in Baja, I sleep on the roof of our casa! The advantage of this beyond gazing at the milky way and hearing the lapping Sea of Cortez is that I can time my nocturne painting perfectly. I wake up beyond the sunrise to paint this phenomenon of the moon setting while the sun is rising. Its is just a few moments when the mountains are saturated with the warmth of the sun bursting above the horizon line of the Sea of Cortez. The moon is still out as she descends to kiss the mountains and finally be gobbled up from their red peaks. The event is quite mesmerizing. While executing this painting from my multiple studies and memories I felt the moon and mountains needed a human figure. The romance of it all beckoned for a cowboy! I also ride in Baja and have had the opportunity to ride with some amazing Mexican cowboys on the trails in the local mountains. I have a few photos of these special times and used the lead cowboy "Raul" and his horse as my model for this narrative of the land and sky romancing a cowboy as he stops and watches Mother Natures show of light.