Iron Mountain backdrops Marathon, Texas, the gateway to Big Bend National Park.
After the scorching heat of a West Texas summer, autumn brings soft color back to the desert. It's as if even the cactus relaxes to enjoy shorter days and cooler weather.
Tiny Marathon, Texas is, at first glance, a stark spot in the desert outside Big Bend National Park. Not much, as towns go. But the majestic light of the Chihuahuan Desert light regularly dresses up the tiny community, especially in the fall, when the low sun brings soft color to a harsh land. In this landscape, early morning light gives the sharp tips of bear grass and yucca a frosting of gold.
The way the sun backlit this foliage reminded me of changing leaves in places less harsh, yet no more beautiful than the Chihuahuan Desert. West Texas has its own color scheme for autumn, and Iron Mountain plays along by shimmering in violet, blue and magenta to match the rocky ground below.
I painted this in my studio after spending a week in Marathon and traveling around Far West Texas. Finding inspiration was easy in this magnificent high desert near Alpine. And Jim enjoyed eating bison burgers and fries at the White Buffalo Bar in the Gage Hotel after each long day of driving, hiking and photographing.
archival paper
- Framed: 15 x 18 x 2 in (38.1 x 45.72 x 5.08 cm)
- Subject Matter: Landscape, Far West Texas
- Current Location: Old Spanish Trail Studio - PO Box 2167 401 Crows Nest Road, Fort Davis, TX 79734 (google map)
- Collections: Big Bend National Park, Far West Texas Landscapes