Thousand Palms Oasis, Coachella Valley Preserve, California

24 by 24 in

Acrylic on canvas

This is a fascinating spectacle in the Californian desert -the oasis is painted in bright yellow-gold combinations to reveal the heat of the hot sun beaming down on this entrance to the oasis. It is overgrown with a variety of Palm trees - some are brilliant green in the sun while others appear to be almost rust-like in the shaded areas. The old wooden walkway reveals the light and shadows in the painting with touches of mauve and faded brownish hues. The large palm in the foreground has a variety of colours from red, orange, greens, beige and mauves which show how the palm has been given a substantial haircut so the visitors can walk under it to get deep into the oasis, where it becomes much darker. The shaded areas have combinations of dark grey, red, mauve, greens, and orange.