Agave – Dyana Hesson

Shelter – Agave, Opuntia, and Inflorescence, Spanish Ruins, AZ RECENTLY SOLD

Dyana Hesson — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 15:36:42 +0000

Shelter
Agave, Opuntia, and Inflorescence, Spanish Ruins, AZ
Bloomed 4-24-25 3:20 PM
Oil on Canvas 40in. x 60 in., 2026

$19,500.00 Framed

There is a hilltop near Payson, Arizona that I love. It sits at about 4500 feet, with views of the East Verde River on one side, and the Mazatzal mountain range on other. This hilltop is a botanist’s dream, with a diverse array of cactus and native Arizona plants. There is evidence that an ancient civilization spent time building, gathering and communing in this place too. I think of their time here often when I visit. I wonder what gossip filled the air as the women sat at their grinding stations, looking up occasionally at the mountains in front of them.

In the wild, shelter is important. For the hiker, it’s the first thing to consider when stranded in the open; before water, before food, protection from the elements is vital. Plants benefit from shelter, too. Often in the Southwest, certain plants thrive only in the sheltered cover of another plant, or in the shade of a rock. In terrain with diverse geologic formations, life thrives.

I am grateful for the merry band of plant lovers who have taught me so much upon this hill.

And I am grateful for the things places like this teach me about my creator, who is my ultimate refuge and shelter under which I can thrive.

Plant in Full Sun – Agave Blue Glow

Dyana Hesson — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 03:59:34 +0000

Plant in Full Sun – Agave Blue Glow

40×50 original oil on canvas

Inspired by a visit to the Desert Botanical Garden, one of my favorite Agaves.

Please inquire to Dyana@DyanaHesson.com for purchasing

Lion and the Lamb – Agave and Sego Lily RECENTLY SOLD

Dyana Hesson — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:09:12 +0000

Lion and the Lamb
Agave and Sego Lily, Sedona, AZ
40×30 oil on canvas

Arizona Highways Magazine Project

This is the first of my new series “True Blue Arizona” focusing on the native plants of the Grand Canyon State. True Blue (my Jeep Wrangler’s nickname) and I had some wonderful adventures this spring, and I was happy to drag a few of you along with me! The inspiration for this painting was found in late April on a trek up to Sedona and Cottonwood. I think the whole valley thought it was one of the last nice weekends, because Sedona was humming with outdoor enthusiasts. That’s where four-wheel drive comes in handy.

Slowly, we literally left the crowds in the dust. My husband navigated us to a place where I had seen a large amount of sego lilies blooming two years ago. I’m not going to tell you where, let’s keep this one a secret that you will have to unlock yourself. There were also a large number of fat and happily rained on agaves sending up their flower stalks. You know I love a good juxtaposition…

The back ache and was worth the shot that lead to this painting. We celebrated with a beer in the wonderfully quirky town of Cottonwood, and True Blue came home dirty and this artist happy. My daughter gave the painting its name. I think its perfect.

More about the True Blue Series

Standing Tall – Palmer’s Penstemon and Agave, Mogollon Rim, AZ RECENTLY SOLD

Dyana Hesson — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 23:42:47 +0000

Standing Tall
Palmer’s Penstemon and Agave, Mogollon Rim, AZ
48×36 oil on canvas
Bloomed 5/7/23

I’m not sure when I painted my first agave. I have always been attracted to their strong, stately structure. It’s a treat to see a mature plant send its florescence skyward, marking the end of its days and the beginning of new life.

In my own yard, this is an annual occurrence. It started with a single plant given to me by a neighbor years ago. We now have 30 or more agave in various stages of life throughout our property. Just this week, two of my plants have sent a stalk skyward. If you sat vigil, I’m convinced you could actually watch them grow several inches a day.

I spotted this agave in the wild on a spring day on the Mogollon Rim of Arizona. I was on my way to hike a mountain stream with a friend. The Jeep came a screeching stop.

There she stood. Brave, proud and unyielding, giving every last bit of energy to reproducing.

Nearby was a large patch of Palmer’s penstemon; the tallest, most fragrant penstemon in Arizona. The large bumblebee-sized blooms were proudly swaying in the morning air.

It seemed like a natural pairing, to paint these showy plants together. Their colors complimented each other, and I loved the contrast of the large frilly blooms against the heavy stalk.

It’s my tribute to life in the west; enduring the seasons, embracing adversity, and standing tall in beauty.

-dh

New Years, 2025

Agave Echo – Agave at Parker Creek, Sierra Ancha Wilderness 36×27

Dyana Hesson — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 19:42:25 +0000

Agave Echo
Agave, at Parker Creek, Sierra Ancha Wilderness 36×27 limited edition print on canvas
Edition of 50

This is an overlook I love. I’ve stopped here often over my many years of exploring Arizona.
To get here, you take a road recently renamed, “The Desert to the Tall Pines Scenic Byway.”
These 67 miles connect Roosevelt Lake to Young and the Mogollon Rim. You leave the desert at 2100 feet and climb through the Salt River canyon, arriving at a conifer forest at 7600 feet, all rather quickly.
Somewhere in the middle is this stop. Here, you’ll have views of Four Peaks and Roosevelt Lake. You’ll also find snow here if there has been recent winter rain in the valley.
You can stand (carefully) on the precipice of Parker Creek and observe swaying ocotillo, mature agave, and thick grasslands. If it’s quiet, you can call out your message and it will echo back to you. Back to you. Back to you.

But silence here is nice too.

Allow three weeks from order date.

In the interest of good customer service, if you are local in Arizona and would like to save on shipping costs, please write a note for us when you order. You can arrange to pick up your work at Altamira Gallery in Scottsdale, and I’ll refund your shipping costs.

This Limited Edition print comes ready to hang and is hand signed and numbered by the artist. The piece is suitable for framing, but is not necessary. Do you have questions about this item? Please contact info@DyanaHesson.com

Arizona Meltdown – Agave and Snow, Sierra Ancha Wilderness SOLD

Dyana Hesson — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 16:21:31 +0000

Arizona Meltdown
Agave and Snow, Sierra Ancha Wilderness
40×60 oil on canvas 2022

When I first moved to Arizona back in 1989, I was worried. I had spent my childhood climbing trees, throwing pinecones, and playing in the snow of the Sierra Nevada foothills. I was worried that Arizona would not meet my aesthetic and outdoor wandering needs.

I told my husband, “Arizona is dry and parched and full of old people.” Parts of that are true, but then my eyes opened, and I fell in love. Arizona’s contrasts are unashamedly dramatic. The Sonoran Desert collides with forests, vast horizons meet the sky, tributaries trickle into the mighty Colorado River, and white snow rests on red rocks and sage-green cactus.

Our seasons are subtle here, but each has its own revealing light that is irresistible to my artist’s eye.

In this piece, I am standing at the precipice of Parker Creek in the Sierra Ancha Wilderness. I gaze downward and study the deep dramatic jewel tones of a majestic agave who, last season, sent up its florescence. It is a late winter day, so there are still patches of snow, but they are melting and finding their way to Roosevelt Lake. I breathe deeply and think, “Well Arizona, you’ve done it again.”

Maybe Arizona is full of old people because once you come here, you’ll want to stay as long as you can.

Agave Echo – Agave at Parker Creek, Sierra Ancha Wilderness, AZ SOLD

Dyana Hesson — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 21:24:03 +0000

Agave Echo
Agave, at Parker Creek, Sierra Ancha Wilderness
40×30 oil on canvas 2022

$8000

Somewhere in the middle is this stop. Here, you’ll have views of Four Peaks and Roosevelt lake. You’ll also find snow here if there has been recent winter rain in the valley.
You can stand (carefully) on the precipice of Parker Creek, and observe swaying ocotillo, mature agave, and thick grasslands. If it’s quiet, you can call out your message and it will echo back to you. Back to you. Back to you.

But silence here is nice too.

Boyce Thompson’s Legacy – Agave 40×28

Fri, 19 Jan 2018 18:35:43 +0000

Boyce Thompson Arboretum is a treasure to all who love nature. Founded in 1924 by William Boyce Thompson, near Superior, Arizona, it is 300 acres of botanical bliss. Because so many of the plants were established many years ago and cared for so well, you can find huge specimens that delight the soul. This painting is a portrait of one of the many agaves that are growing on the grounds. It is so large that it demands to be seen. I couldn’t help but paint it large with our famous Arizona Blue sky in the background. Boyce Thompson has been gone many years now, but his legacy grows on.

Allow three weeks from order date.

Great and Small – Agave and Vine, Fossil Creek 27×40

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 18:40:25 +0000

Late one spring, some wonderful ladies and I had the opportunity to hike to Fossil Creek, just outside of Strawberry, Arizona. A steep path leads from the top of the rim four miles or so to the creek bed. If you did not know the area, you might pause here, stare at the dry creek bed, and say “what’s the big deal?” Follow the creek bed for another mile or so and you will see why this area has been charming visitors for years. Suddenly the dry scrub of the region gives way to towering sycamores, lush grass, and the sound of running water. We in Arizona hold such a sound sacred as water is scarce and always cherished. Here, under the roots of a huge old tree is where you will discover a spring gushing twenty thousand gallons a minute at a constant seventy-two degrees. Turn the corner, and it gets better; a deep turquoise pool awaits you where you can rid yourself of your hiking clothes, and your cares, and swim the afternoon away. In the summer, this site can be full of hearty hikers and backpackers, but on this trip . . . we had it all to ourselves. Cool and refreshed, we hiked out of the canyon in the late afternoon. As we ascended, we enjoyed the diverse plant life of the region. There were many wildflowers blooming that even the most botanically experienced in our group had not seen before. At the top of the trail, we found an enormous agave that had sent up its stalk to flower. Winding in and through the rigid leaves were tender vines. It was stunning. The juxtaposition was irresistible to me. It reminded me of how truly our region is so full of contrasts. Dry creek beds and gushing springs, drenching monsoon showers on the hottest day, even the colors of the Grand Canyon are perfect contrasts to each other. Grateful for the day and the company of such wonderful friends, I photographed the great agave, and let it linger in my mind until it was time to paint it. Life is full of blessings, both great and small.

Allow three weeks from order date.

Edition of 50

Giclee on Canvas