Light and Shadow, the Colorado River
By: Joseph McGurl
Year: 2025
Medium: Oil on Linen
Dimensions: 24 x 30 inches
Price: $19,500
“Light and Shadow, the Colorado River” is a compilation of experiences I’ve had, emotions I’ve felt, and what I have seen and painted along the Colorado River as it winds through the southwestern landscape. It does not depict one particular location — it is imaginary but based on those experiences and sketches. Creating a painting in this manner can often provide a greater truth to the artwork in the same way a book of fiction based on fact does. I can focus on and include the most salient features. It was important to create strong shapes of light and dark to represent the power of the river as it cuts through the stone walls of the canyons. The cool blues of the sky and water juxtaposed against the warm, dark browns of the canyon walls enhance the contrast. The figures in the drift boats were added to give the viewer a sense of scale. This is particularly important; I often include figures in my Western landscapes, as the landscape is so vast and the features are so large. The Western landscape is a subject I return to often, and it always provides new revelations and compositional possibilities.
This piece of artwork is in the 2025 Quest for the West® Art Show and Sale.