Some places stay with us long after we’ve left them.
The Southwest is one of those places for me.
Tucson Desert was inspired by my deep love for the desert—the way it quietly holds both strength and softness. At first glance, the desert can seem sparse, but when you slow down and really look, it’s rich with color and alive with movement. Cactus bloom, wildlife thrives, and the land shifts hues throughout the day as the light changes. Nothing is still for long.
When I painted this piece, I had a dream in mind—one I’ve carried for years—of living in the desert. I imagined waking up to wide skies, watching the mountains change color from morning to dusk, and feeling that grounded calm the desert offers. There’s a sense of spaciousness there, both in the landscape and within yourself.
I wanted this painting to reflect that feeling:
the warm earth tones, the rugged stone, the quiet path leading forward, and the mountains standing steady in the background. It’s a place that invites you to breathe, to notice, and to feel connected to something older and wiser than ourselves.
This painting holds special meaning for me because I gave it to my son for his birthday. It now hangs in his and his wife’s home, which makes it even more meaningful—art has a way of carrying love, memory, and story into the spaces where life unfolds.
Prints of Tucson Desert are available on my website at pforbesart.com, as well as locally at Images Art Gallery,
7320 W. 80th St, Overland Park, Kansas.
If you’ve ever felt drawn to the desert—the colors, the quiet, the resilience—you already understand why this piece exists.
