This evocative drawing, created at Valley of Fire, NM, powerfully captures a landscape shaped by millennia of natural forces and human history. The rugged terrain in the foreground speaks of its ancient origins, formed by lava flows from 5000 years ago, now reclaimed by nature through the slow, persistent work of time. A distant mountain range anchors the horizon, while a lone, skeletal tree stands as a sentinel.
Crucially, the subtle inclusion of a windmill reveals a more recent chapter: the landscape transformed by Western expansion. This juxtaposition highlights the vastness of geological time against the relatively brief, yet impactful, presence of human endeavor. Through nuanced shading and texture, the drawing invites contemplation on the land’s profound resilience, the layers of history it holds, and the enduring interplay between human presence and the raw, ancient spirit of the desert. Signed TLM.