Eternal Spirit of Yellowstone

At the heart of the piece is the bison, a creature that has come to symbolize the park itself. The bison's strength, endurance, and quiet majesty reflect the park's resilience, surviving through harsh winters and human encroachment. The bison was once on the verge of extinction, yet it continues to roam Yellowstone, a reminder that nature, when protected, can thrive against all odds. I felt a deep connection to this animal’s story as I painted it, imagining it walking through the steaming geothermal plains, a symbol of both endurance and the ancient connection between humans and nature.
One of the most famous features in this piece is Old Faithful, the iconic geyser that erupts with regularity, drawing thousands of visitors each year. For me, Old Faithful is more than a tourist attraction—it is a reminder of the deep forces beneath the earth's surface, a primal energy that has been at work for millennia. The bursts of steam and water shooting from the earth mirror the bursts of creativity and emotion I feel as an artist, a powerful, unstoppable force that shapes everything around it.
The Lower Falls cascade in the background, their water flowing into the canyon below, representing the passage of time. The waterfall is symbolic of the continuous flow of life, ever-changing and yet eternal, shaping the landscape through erosion, just as time shapes us. The waterfall also reflects the emotional flow in this piece—strong, persistent, yet serene in its beauty.
The geothermal hot springs, with their striking hues of orange, yellow, and blue, represent both the beauty and danger of Yellowstone. The colors are not just aesthetic choices; they are nature's warning signs of extreme heat and volatile conditions. As I worked with these vivid colors, I felt drawn to their intensity. The blue symbolizes depth, tranquility, and the unknown, while the orange and yellow represent energy, warmth, and the raw power of the earth itself. This balance of colors reflects the duality of Yellowstone—a place of both calm serenity and untamed power.
The forests that stretch across the landscape represent life in all its forms, from the tallest trees to the smallest creatures that inhabit them. Forests, for me, symbolize growth, shelter, and the interconnectedness of all living things. They offer a sense of peace and refuge in an otherwise wild and unpredictable landscape.
Finally, the mountains in the distance tower over the scene, a majestic reminder of Yellowstone’s place in the greater landscape of the American West. These mountains remind us of the park’s grandeur, its place in the natural world as both a sanctuary and a challenge to those who visit. They also serve as a metaphor for the obstacles we face in life, looming large but always conquerable with determination.
The dominant colors in this artwork are orange, blue, and green. The orange of the geothermal springs and landscape evokes warmth, vitality, and the raw, burning energy of the earth. Orange represents creation, the passion that burns within, and the cycle of destruction and rebirth. It was important to me to capture this sense of urgency and aliveness in the painting.
The blue of the hot springs and sky evokes a sense of peace, tranquility, and the mystery of the natural world. Blue is calming, but in this piece, it also represents depth—the hidden power beneath the surface of Yellowstone’s beauty. The swirling blues of the geothermal pools create a sense of movement and flow, guiding the eye through the piece.
The green of the forests and fields represents life, growth, and renewal. Green is the color of nature in all its forms, and it brings balance to the intensity of the orange and blue. It represents the hope and perseverance of nature, always finding a way to thrive in even the harshest conditions.
Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872, is the first national park in the world, created to preserve its unique geothermal features, wildlife, and landscapes. The park is home to Old Faithful Geyser, which erupts roughly every 90 minutes and has done so for thousands of years. The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River are another iconic feature, plunging over 300 feet into the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, which stretches for over 20 miles.
The bison population in Yellowstone, once nearly wiped out due to overhunting, has been carefully protected, and today the park is home to the largest wild bison herd in the U.S., a testament to successful conservation efforts.
This piece is deeply personal to me. As I painted, I thought about how Yellowstone represents more than just a beautiful landscape—it represents the tension between preservation and destruction, between humanity and nature. The bison, with its quiet resilience, reminds me that even in the face of overwhelming odds, we can endure. The geysers and hot springs symbolize the powerful forces that lie beneath the surface, both in nature and in our own lives—forces that shape us, sometimes in ways we don’t understand.
Creating this artwork was an emotional experience, as I tried to capture the essence of Yellowstone in a way that felt both real and dreamlike. It’s a place of contrasts—warm and cold, serene and violent, calm and chaotic—and I wanted the viewer to feel that in this piece. The colors, the sweeping landscapes, and the iconic wildlife all come together to create a vision of Yellowstone that is both familiar and otherworldly, a reminder of the power and beauty of nature, and the importance of preserving it for future generations.