This was a scene that I passed by daily in Taos, NM. Every time I drove past it, I had to stare at that magnificent mountainous landscape. The photo I worked from was taken in July, so this is a summer scene. The mountain has many moods within each season, however, and I am not done with it, not by a long shot.
I started this painting in New Mexico and finished it here in California. This is one of those iconic Southwestern sights, and a reminder of our temporary status here on earth, that we, too, are just passing through. I find the bones themselves to be luminous and wanted to accentuate that quality. I also love the curvilinear shapes of those horns!