Phoenix Resort, July 2023, Oil on Gallery Canvas, 36x48 inches

The Phoenix, Arizona heat captivated my senses. The dry intensity struck a nerve. As I walked through the resort the first night, the sweltering evening air enveloped me; I tilted my head back to marvel at the sheer height of the palm trees; the lights that were wrapped around them created an atmosphere of a steady stream of dream-like imaginings in my mind. A few weeks later, as I looked back at my photos, I felt that the 5”x7” images did not reflect the scope of my experience. I wished to recreate the essence of the tactile and awe-inspiring sight that I had the opportunity to visit, and to have an avenue to bring me directly back to that space and place each time I stand before the painting, to marvel at it all over again.