A West Texas sky can take its sweet time deciding whether to rain or simply tease. Clouds bulk up with moisture, gather their courage and fray at the edges, trailing vaporous threads into the wild blue. Towering cumulus can knock around quite awhile up there before dropping life-giving rain or dissipating. It's pretty much the clouds that call the shots as to where rain falls. Heavy showers can be narrowly localized. One pasture floods while the adjoining one stays thirsty. (You should never begrudge your neighbor's rain, however. Your turn will come.)

In my miniature pastel landscape, Davis Mountains' landmark Point of Rocks stands steady, patient as the world above it unspools into chaos. Will that distant shower move in and water the grasslands at the feet of the historic rest stop on the Overland-Butterfield Trail? Or is it all simply bluster, this far up the trail?

This original pastel is a mere 5x7 inches, but there’s a bunch of weather packed into it. Painting this sky took me back to standing under it, hoping I'd soon get wet-- those tall, somewhat bedraggled yuccas are bracing for the first drops. That distant rain shower keeps inching closer. Hear that familiar hush before the storm really lets loose on the high desert.

I worked on archival board (this historic scene deserves to last), meticulously layering soft pastels into churning clouds over waving grass. Framed, this complex artwork measures 7.5 x 9.5 inches-- the burled wood frame blends seamlessly into the landscape. (This miniature framed pastel's got more personality than some folks I know.) Museum glass protects the painting and lets you enjoy every nuance of color and detail without chasing reflections.

Original 5x7 in pastel on archival board | custom "burled" wood frame with outer dimensions 7.5 x 9.5 inches | sealed and protected under Museum Glass (the ultimate viewing experience and UV protection)| Wired and ready to hang, or suitable for display on a table easel or shelf | ships free