Desert Sunset Kodachrome – Painting Number 8

After a long work week, it is finally Friday and Big Rich is eager to hit the road and get out of the Los Angeles rat race.  Regardless of the traffic beast that is our nemesis, getting out of the sea of humanity and into the respite of the desert is a priority. Once we make our way to the wide open space of the Mohave Desert, we feel we can actually breathe!   Leaving the vestiges of the bustle of the city behind us and veering off in the opposite direction of the weekend Vegas warriors, we both make a big sigh of relief.  Without the distractions of bumper to bumper traffic, the sun dropping behind the distant mountains commands my attention with a brilliant, spectacular spray of colors. A few high clouds create magical streaks, as if the heavens employ a legendary spray paint sky artist.

All we can say is, “Wow! This never gets old.” 

The brilliant display escorts us until we are deep into the Mohave Desert on our way to our little oasis in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. A complete canopy of scrumptious creamsicle color envelops us, lifts our spirits and reminds us of the pure magnificence of nature.

I lean against the passenger door window and soak it all in.  I mean, really soak it in and wonder, “How does all this happen?  Why are the sunsets in the desert so brilliant and perfectly on cue?” Unlike the sunsets of LA that often get swallowed up by a marine layer, the desert sunsets show up, center stage ready, time and time again. We rolled into Lake Havasu nearing midnight.  The thermometer read 104F.  The low for the night would probably not break 100F. 

We cranked up the AC and when the house was cool, snuggled into bed.  Upon closing my eyes, the sunset presented a lingering brilliant image.  I slept fitfully, battling with the sheets as one does when the AC kicks on and off, one moment it feels too warm the next too cool, trying to find that sweet spot where the temperature is just right. I tossed and turned, rolled and stretched, slithered and slipped about in the sheets like a nocturnal rattlesnake in the desert sand.

The bedtime imagery of the rattlesnake slithering about in the desert dominated my thoughts the whole next day.  We have been coming to our place in the Mohave Desert for many years and have yet to encounter a rattlesnake, yet we never take their presence for granted. We are definitely living alongside them, but they are the clever ones, knowing how to camouflage and avoid an encounter with a human. 

We enjoyed a day of swimming in the pool topping it off with grilled burgers, dawgs and beer (rosé for me!) – a quintessential American summer day.  And, once again, straight on cue, Mother Nature put her sky artists to work, painting the sky with another brilliant sunset masterpiece.  Every now and then we are able to capture a decent photo with our cameras, but most often, our snapshots pale in comparison to the real thing. I stood still, suspended in time, soaking in all the depth, breadth, intensity and vibrancy of color that our cameras cannot. It then occurred to me and I whispered under my breath, “Isn’t it about this time of day that our reclusive rattlesnake neighbors start creeping about in search of their prey?” The ecosystem and balance of nature never cease to amaze me. The stunning, brilliant painted sky ushering in the close of the day, yet signaling the beginning to nocturnal beings was a perfect example.

So the inspiration came to me, to paint my own rendition of a desert summer sunset paying homage to a vibrant range of color, and to the desert reptile inhabitants. For your viewing pleasure, I introduce you to painting Number 8 of 2019, “Desert Sunset Kodachrome”.

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