Canyon de Chelly Day

When we visited Canyon de Chelly, we hired a guide. We loaded ourselves in the Jeep – and started off. The first part of the drive you are driving over a very sandy area – guess what? We bottomed out and the Jeep had to be towed out. The guide made the driver of the “REAL” Jeep give us that one which was way cool! We were open in the back and Wanda and I were able to stand up through it to take pictures. It was a rough ride and we did receive some bruises from the jostling around – but they were well worth it.

We paid for four hours, but when we stopped to paint, we decided to add another hour so we could drive down Canyon de Chelly to Window Rock (I think that is what it is called). Our guide told us we needed to drive in Canyon del Muerto because of the light and the distance between the cliffs. I was a little disappointed that we were not in the "actual" Canyon de Chelly part of the canyon. But, after the painting session, we did drive back to the junction of both canyons and go quickly down to Window Rock. Here are some photos in Canyon del Muerto and Canyon de Chelly.

I am not totally happy with the painting I did – but here is the oil painting. It will be a good resource only -- and not frame worthy! Just my own personal piece to remind me of a wonderful day in Canyon de Chelly.

We were painting in the shadow and I was quite cold. The cliff on the right that is so bright orange was really that colorful – reflected light on it. It is really the only thing that bothers me about the painting application. But . . . I set up to paint, started the block in, and then realized I had situated my panel in the landscape position! Not good. The walls were so tall, it really needed a “portrait” position so I could make those cliffs very tall. Oh Well, live and learn. And I did not want to start over – we only had a limited amount of time – on the clock for the tour guide! It will be good reference material to have along with the many photographs I took! That is what I normally use my plein air paintings for – not to frame, but for reference a “memory.”