Description

On Rocky Slopes
Bigelow’s Bristlehead, Spanish Ruins, AZ
Bloomed 4-25-25
Oil on Canvas 24 in. x 18 in., 2025
$3800 Framed

Plants, like people, have a purpose. On this rocky slope in the Mazatzal Mountains, this native plant provides flowers for pollinators, seeds for birds, and erosion control for the land.

It was originally collected by Asa Gray and named for Dr. John Milton Bigelow (1804-1878). Interestingly, both men were physicians before becoming botanists.

On this sunny day, it was collected by a band of merry native plant enthusiasts, including me. My purpose? To paint it as best as I can; remembering the warm sunny day, high on the rocky slope, where the wild things grow