The towering rocks at the southern end of Arches National Park were aptly named after a natural resemblance to the skyscrapers and tall canyons of New York. I packed my bags and painting supplies and drove from the Pacific Northwest to Utah, a pilgrimage of sorts, to the land of red rocks and spectacular deserts. This was the first of several plein air paintings I made. It was indeed inspiring as it was challenging, trying to paint whilst holding my easel in strong intermittent blasts of wind. It was also exciting to be using a completely different palette of colours than those of my home in British Columbia.