Joshua Tree National Park Collection
Joshua Tree National Park is located in southern California, and is a vast area where two desert ecosystems meet. It is home to some extremely unique animals and plants, like the joshua tree- the park’s namesake. These plants, coupled with landscape sculpted by strong winds and torrents of rain, inspired Leah to create this collection.
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Joshua Tree National Park– Yucca brevifolia
30 x 40 in Oil on Canvas
“Joshua Trees can take on many different shapes. From tall and thin, to bushy with many branches- They make for a very eye catching landscape. When I found this particular tree (or collection of trees) I knew that I wanted to make it the subject of my largest landscape painting. Of course the Joshua Tree gets to be the star of the show for Joshua Tree National Park! It is surrounded by Creosote bushes, which were that lovely silver color.”
The Beavertail Prickly Pear– Opuntia basilaris Engelm
“I found this little cactus on a hike through the park. At the time, I didn’t know what is was, but I loved the blue and purple color! The short stature of this particular plant challenged me to capture both the details of the cactus and the rugged beauty of the landscape surrounding it.”
18 x 24 in Oil on Claybord
The Joshua Tree– Yucca brevifolia
“I couldn’t help but paint this subject when I saw the shadow cast by the hot desert sun. Did you know that these tree are primarily found in the Mojave Desert, but you can also find it growing next to a saguaro cactus in the Sonoran Desert or mixed with pines in the San Bernardino Mountains!”
18 x 24 in Oil on Claybord
The Blooming Yucca– Chaparral Yucca
“This Chaparral yucca is a relative of the Joshua Tree. it is one of two yucca species in the park other than the joshua trees (the other being the Mojave yucca) After several years of growth, chaparral yucca blooms once in early March to May, then dies. I was lucky enough to capture 3 bushes in bloom at the end of the season.”
18 x 24 in Oil on Claybord
Native Plant Studies
The Creosote Bush– Larrea tridentata
“The creosote bush is one of the most abundant plants in Joshua Tree National Park and because of that, it is also featured in all of my Joshua Tree landscapes! Unfortunately, I was not able to include all the fun details it deserves from the farther away perspectives. So, this plant inspired the 5 x7 plant study set!
This bush produces yellow flowers in the spring and summer that turn into those lovely fuzzy seeds! Although they produce large numbers of seeds at each flowering, few of them are able to germinate. Because of this, it can take decades for creosote bushes to return to areas that have been damaged. Even a one-foot high plant is probably at least ten years old. These are fascinating plants! for more information, check out the Joshua Tree Nation Park Website“
5 x 7 in Oil on Claybord
The Desert Mariposa– Calochortus kennedyi
“These bright orange flows can be seen in Joshua Tree National Park in April through June. They can be found on mountain slopes and pinyon pine/juniper woodlands. I chose to paint this flower because it reminded me of the California poppy (which is one of my favorite flowers). It’s lovely to see such a vibrant pop of color in the desert landscape.”
5 x 7 in Oil on Claybord
The Cottontop Cactus– Echinocactus polycephalus
“I chose to include the cottontop cactus because of its unique red/pink/purple colors. It is called a cotton top because it produces wooly spines and fruit on the top of the cactus. It can be hard to tell size from these small paintings, but the cottontop cactus clumps can get up to 3 ft tall and wide. The individual barrels are 4-8 inches in diameter.”
5 x 7 in Oil on Claybord
The Desert Fiddleneck– Amsinckia tessellata
“The Desert Fiddleneck was chosen to be featured because of its unique and pleasing spiral form. It also blooms April through June and creates spirals of its bright goldenrod yellow blooms. The plant can be 8″ – 40” tall. Bristles cover the green parts of this plant, giving it a fuzzy appearance in the sunlight.
5 x 7 in Oil on Claybord
The California Ayenia– Ayenia compacta
“The California Ayenia is a rare plant in Joshua Tree National Park. It is also extremely tiny, with the flowers being smaller than a cm in length. I would love to find one of these plants in person! The curve of the petals make me think of a ballet dancer.”
5 x 7 in Oil on Claybord
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