The Arabian desert is a fascinating land of constant change. The following paintings were painted on the edge of the Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali), which is the largest continuous sand desert in the world. It feels like a land of pillows. The smooth waves and mountains of sand shut out all noise and busyness, leaving you alone in a vast and empty space, where dunes recede endlessly into the horizon. The dust-filled air obscures the setting sun in violet, creating one of the most unique and silent views of the sun in the world. There is no other place as quiet and peaceful as the desert. The extremely fine sand, almost water-like, reflects a variety of beautiful colors throughout the day. Little critters and large camels leave footprints throughout the dunes, only to quickly disappear with the constant changing wind. What an amazing place!

As you look at the paintings, imagine there is nothing to be heard…except, of course, the occasional Landcruiser.

The majority of the paintings below were finished on site in the open air, or “en plein air.” The larger works were based off the outdoor studies. Nothing compares to painting on-location and observing a scene first-hand. Though cameras continue to advance in quality, nothing can perfectly replicate the way our eyes see. Plein air painting provides an opportunity to observe the exact colors and values of a scene, rather than copying a reproduction. Direct painting from life can be the most accurate way to communicate what we see.

A photograph also can’t capture the literal grains of sand like paint can!

The more time we spend observing what is in front of us (beyond our phones), the more we see. Creation is full of amazing colors and details, the majority of which go unseen. As Michael Card puts it, “There’s beauty there to blind the eye.”