Oil Painting: “Saguaro Sunrise Serenade”

“Saguaro Sunrise Serenade” is a 30×30″ oil painting on canvas fresh off the easel. While I typically like to paint sunsets, this sunrise was one I recently captured after dropping my wife off at the airport for an early flight to her see her folks in Seattle. Who knew? The sunrises in Tucson are equally as beautiful as the sunsets. I love to capture on canvas the moment of brilliant color from a sunrise or sunset. It always amazes me how the sky lights up like fire for a a brief moment then it’s gone. I hate to miss a sunset! Now, after seeing this incredible sunrise I hate to miss a sunrise as well!

Saguaro

The Saguaro cactus is an incredible part of our landscape here in the desert South West. Our home is just a few miles from the Saguaro National Park. As an artist I am privileged to live in such a beautiful place. With the park so close I keep my plein air gear at the ready for a quick trip to the park when I have a few moments to paint, or when it looks like the sky is going to come alive!

We have 5 Saguaros in our yard at our home. The Saguaro is typically 75 years old before it grows it’s first arm. We have one by our pool that had no arms when we first moved into our home 13 years ago. Since then, it has grown several arms. It has been pretty cool to watch, especially knowing that the arms reveal it’s age. It is the oldest of our 5, none of the others have grown arms yet. Although growing in the desert in plain view right behind our fence are several massive Saguaros with multiply arms that appear to be several hundred years old.