In a canyon near Joshua Tree National Park, there is almost no vegetation due to the extreme dryness of the desert area. The space has a sacred quality that inspires respect and stillness. Apparently in the past, indigenous people and raptors had managed to eke out a life among the barren cliffs, evidenced by the abandoned eagle’s nest and the ancient petroglyphs nearby. I chose to paint it in an extreme vertical format to illustrate the height of the walls and the sensation of smallness in comparison to the surroundings.