EAST OF GALLUP ORIGINAL PAINTING

EAST OF GALLUP 16″ X 20″ oil on masonite board. 2025 Our train, Amtrak’s Southwest Chief just pulled out of Gallup, New Mexico on December 8, 2023. Got to witness a beautiful New Mexico sunrise. The rust colored cliffs in the distance against an early morning desert sky. One of the colors on my palette that I used for this painting was actually named Rust Oxide, a very earthy color. I had not been to New Mexico since I was six years old, on a train from Joliet, Illinois to Los Angeles. The second morning of our trip I woke up very early to find our train car bathed in this brilliant worm glow of scarlet and crimson reds, warm purples, oranges, magentas and pinks. I was just awestruck.  I said out loud “WOW! Where are we. Its beautiful!” And the conductor said “You’re in New Mexico, son. The Land of Enchantment!” Geographically New Mexico is considered the high desert. The continental divide cuts right through the state from North to South.