In this, the largest and final piece of the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve project, is found the high mountain area of the environment. Here dwells the big-horn sheep, with a bald eagle soaring overhead. Ponderosa pine and greenery in fall colors cover much of the rocky landscape where also bloom Indian paintbrush and the Colorado state flower, the blue and white columbine.
This panels shows additional dunes fieldd, contrasted with the snowy spires of the Crestone Needles towering into the Colorado sky. Fall colors are visible in the distant landscape and more golden aspen frame one side. The Medano rushes by a mother brown bear and her cub, and on the far right is a ponderosa pine with a portion of the bark peeled off for medicinal purposes by Native American people. In the lower left corner is a cut-throat trout, found in the brooks and streams of the area and the lower right corner depicts the vibrant color of the mountain bluebird.
In the third panel of this project are found the highest dunes in the dune field, towering against the blue and white of the high valley sky.
Here are often found the “Chinese wall” effects along the tops of the dunes, formed when moisture and wind conditions are right for the phenomenon.
The Medano flows along the outer edge of the dune field, to later seep and disappear into the sands farther west.
A large bull elk grazes in the tall grass .
Among the animals found here are Ord’s kangaroo rat and the short-horned lizard, whose spiny camoflage fades perfectly into the sandy environment.
This is the first of the five panels to be installed in the visitors center of the Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve near Alamosa CO.
This panel depicts the wetland areas which edge the western side of the dune field. This area has an abundance of wildlife and shown are sandhill cranes in flight and the pronghorn antelope.
The corner insets feature the sunflower on the left, whose blossoms blanket the open field surrounding the dunes with a carpet of brilliant yellow for most of the summer season. Also found only in this vicinity is the Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, with its iridescent carapace.
In the lower right corner is a pair of sandhill cranes, whose migratory path leads them to graze in fields of the San Luis Valley in the in the early spring and again in the fall. These magnificent birds can reach 46″ in height and can have a wingspan of over 6 feet. Their calls can frequently be heard before they become visible when the flocks pass overhead.
This is the second panel of the Great Sand Dunes project.
Depicted is lightning striking the dunes, which results in ‘fulgarite’ formations made when the electricity from the lightning melts the silica in the sand, and the big dipper, which represents the “night Sky” program in the NPS.
Here also are mule deer, very numerous in the area. The corner inserts are yellow Elephant ear cactus on the left and Indian points representative of those found at various sites around the San Luis valley.
Right around Christmas of last year I was approached by Art Hutchison, the Superintendent of GSDNP&P and asked if I would consider doing an installation for the Visitor Center similar to the one I did the previous fall at Great Basin. This project would be a bit smaller; around 28 sq. ft.
Since my installation at Great Basin had been featured on the web-page of the NPS site, I have had a couple of interested inquiries.
After further planning & a few meetings, it was agreed that the “Friends of the Dunes” would purchase the supplies, and I would donate my time and skill in exchange for the title of AIR.
As this park is practically in my own backyard here in the beautiful valley where I have made my home for nearly 40 years, I am once again humbled by the honor of creating work to be a part of our great National Parks.
Yesterday the 7th Annual Alamosa Artwalk was held, bringing out many familiar faces as well as new ones from other areas. The day was gloriously sunny, considering the heavy spring snowfall of a couple of days ago.
The streets and shops of Alamosa were filled with artists, entertainers, writers , musicians and speakers. There was something for every age and gender, from face-painting to poetry readings and samplings of local foodstuffs.
I spent a good part of the day visiting the many venues, then the rest at the SLV Brewery, where my work is featured year-long and my two new works had just been added last week for the Artwalk. In fact, I hung “Colorado” early Tues. afternoon & had a committed buyer by that evening. My other piece for the Artwalk, consisting of a pair of corner-hangers entitled “Picses” got a lot of attention, but no takers yet. It was great visiting with fellow artists and past and potential clients.
All in all a wonderful day celebrating the variety of artistic talent in my community.