PHILIP CARLTON

Fruita, Colorado

Philip Carlton is a self-taught plein air painter who travels extensively to capture the visual splendor and intrigue of both the natural and urban worlds. He participated in his first plein air competition in 2015 following the encouragement of close friends. One year later he embarked on a road trip that would reshape his artistic path. In 2016 he packed his easel for the first time on a solo trip to Grand Teton National Park, spending nine days painting along the way. After returning home he was hooked on painting as a form of adventure and was on the road again just a month later, this time painting Canyonlands, Arches, and Yosemite National Parks. In 2018, he painted at the rim of the Grand Canyon for the first time and has returned frequently since.

This painting is a memory of the bright and clear start to my first trek down to the Colorado River via the Kaibab Trail. On a day where the temperature approached 110 degrees at the floor of the canyon, shade was infrequent but very welcome.

While the sun was still low in the sky there were moments of great visual intrigue when only a few feet of the trail were illuminated in front of me. The nearby rock glowed with a fire that caused the North Rim and everything in between to recede into relative darkness. This painting was my attempt to capture the full range of that depth. Although we often think of the canyon as being filled with light, seeing the trail before you fully ablaze makes you more cognizant of the canyon being still overwhelmed by shadow in the early morning hours.

As a hiker descending the canyon for the first time, knowing that you’re hours away from its greatest depths is both exhilarating and overwhelming. The thrill and fear of the unknown is thankfully balanced by the mind-boggling beauty of the day ahead of you.

A Journey That Begins Where Everything Ends | 22x44, oil