Especially in times of turmoil, first light at Zabriskie Point brings sublime beauty and hope for the day ahead.

Zabriskie Point in Death Valley is one of my favorite places on earth. Sunrise is a very special time. There is always an amazing light show. It is also the first place I ever painted outside. Locked down at home during the early days of the pandemic, I longed for the magic of Zabriskie Point. The only way to journey there was to paint it. I had never tried to paint the sunrise there, always too intimidated. But suddenly I felt free to explore.

Painting during the pandemic made me revisit many of the drawings and photos I had put away in the "someday" file. Without a schedule to follow, I could let my imagination wander. Some of my best work has come from the past few months of lockdown.