Bryce Canyon National Park
“The Things Imagination Sees”
30in x 40in, Acrylic Paint on Canvas
This painting is available in my online shop as a poster print and other art products.
The Inspiration:
This painting got its title, “The Things Imagination Sees,” because it is inspired by all of the creatures, personalities, and stories that people have seen in the rock formations at Bryce Canyon through history to today.
The Story:
Initially when looking for a subject to paint, I set out to find an especially unique feature in the park to showcase on canvas. After hiking a few trails, it became apparent to me that there were too many to choose from and that I needed a new approach to finding a subject. That’s when I noticed how many people on the trails were conversing about what they saw in the life-like rocks, called hoodoos: faces, animals, castles, mushrooms, volcanoes, jack-o-lanterns!
I was further shown the creativity the hoodoos brought out of people when I went on a guided tour and learned many of the creative names that different rocks and areas were given: Thor’s Hammer, the Queen’s Garden, the Sinking Ship. I also learned about the belief of the Paiute Indians’ - who once inhabited the land around Bryce Canyon - that the hoodoos were humans that had been turned to stone by Coyote, a spiritual being.
By the time I was setting up my easel along the Navajo Loop Trail a week into my time at Bryce, I had decided my subject was “imagination.” I wanted to incorporate into my painting the spiritual visions of the Paiute, the creative visions of the people who named the various landmarks of the park, and the newest visions I heard from the visitors I met in person. To collect as many ideas as possible, I put a sign out with slips of paper requesting that hikers passing by share what they saw in the hoodoos.
From the start to the end of the week-long painting process, visitors’ responses were so supportive and enthusiastic. I enjoyed not knowing what ideas would come up in my next conversation to alter the direction of my painting. I also enjoyed getting to add touches like the starry sky and the horse after having my own new experiences, like stargazing and horseback riding.
By the time my painting was through, I had talked to over 100 new people and hidden more than 20 different ideas shared with me! Also featured in the painting in altered forms are Sunset and Sunrise Points, the tree on Wall Street, the Two Bridges, the Wall of Windows, the Sinking Ship Rock, and the Bryce Canyon Lodge’s cabins, all parts of the actual Bryce Canyon National Park!
I hope the feeling of this piece resonates with anyone who has visited Bryce and inspires those who have not been yet to add it to the bucket list. It was certainly an awe-inspiring place as an artist and nature-lover, and I believe many people could be incredibly moved by all there is to see and experience at this beautiful place.
Process Pictures
