The day was April 27, 2014 when I sat at a look-out location along The Rim Trail at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, USA. It was a Sunday morning and I was hiking the approximately fifteen kilometre one way trail to Hermits Rest. The plan was to get a lay of the land and a feel for what the next day would hold in store for when I would be hiking down into the soul of the Canyon.
I remember sitting here and wondering what am I getting myself into! I would be doing the hike solo, I felt both excited and scared about the whole thing. Then I got drawn in and lost in my thoughts, thoughts of is this real what I am seeing in front of me, it looks like a painting! No wonder the Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Wonders of the World! It offers much to wonder about!
Fast forward to almost ten years later when the Grand Canyon came to mind and I began to wonder could I paint it! I am an adventurer who wants to be an "Artist”! It became an adventure trying to render a creation from photos I took while hiking there. Over the past few days, I sketched many outlines, did lots of erasing, then eventually laid many layers of watercolour paint. When I stood back and looked at my finished creation, I felt fulfilled and also felt like I reached a summit. It was quite the journey to get to this destination!
These are three of my photos I used as references.
Similar to the way lots of planning goes into creating a painting, lots of planning went into that one day hike down into the Grand Canyon. It took loads of prep work and planning to give myself the best chance at experiencing a successful and enjoyable adventure. Hiking on that Monday April 28, 2014 day was a dream come true and a lift changing experience!
The maps I used.
at Skeleton Point on the South Kaibab Trail
the red line shows the track from my hike
down South Kaibab
across Tonto
up the Bright Angel switchbacks
After hiking The Rim Trail the day prior, I purchased a fridge magnet and got my Passport book stamped. I was not sure what condition I would be in after hiking up Bright Angel other than to get to my car and get to the bed in my home away from home. I did not purchase a sticker to put in the square but in hindsight I wish I did.
my Passport book
I also purchased two patches that I sewed onto my backpack.
Hiking down South Kaibab, across Tonto and up Bright Angel was a very enjoyable and rewarding adventure. So too was painting my version of what I experienced that day at the Grand Canyon. There are more adventures I have been fortunate enough to experience, now I wonder can I turn those into a creative journey!
I am really enjoying your posts where you talk about your hikes, your photos, and using the photos as references for your painting. To me, it is an ideal hobby! I admire your National Parks Passport and the way you are getting the stamps inside. I am curious: how many US National Parks have you visited? Do you have a favorite? Lastly, do you have a goal to visit a certain number of Parks … perhaps all of them? After leaving this comment, I’m going to do a search to find information on the National Parks of Canada. Have a happy rest of the week.
ReplyDeleteI have been to ten US National Parks, a few I have been to numerous times. Each one was special in its own way but I would have to say my favourite was Glacier National Park in Montana. I have no goals for visiting a certain number of them. I am glad I visited them when I did. Just like our Parks, the stress, cost and unpleasantness of trying to get into the Parks has become not appealing to me.
DeleteI was very surprised to know you are a great hiker.
ReplyDeleteOut on the trails is my happy place!
DeleteI admire you for all your activities. The photos and the paintings are amazing. Hiking is also a great activity that I have never done.
ReplyDeleteI visit the Grand Canyon in 1999 with my family and I remember again the quiet and the silence. A perfect place to think about the life and ourselves.
That is wonderful you got to share seeing the Grand Canyon with your family! Lots of runners that I know are also hikers, hiking is the perfect cross-training activity to become a stronger runner. When I was a runner, I noticed the benefits that came from hiking.
DeleteWonderful painting of an amazing experience! I've never hiked the Grand Canyon, but a friend of mine did about a year ago. It was a 5-6 day backpacking journey, and I followed him daily (Garmin InSync). Might be the closest I ever get to hiking the area!
ReplyDeleteOver the years I enjoyed and still do enjoy reading peoples' stories of backpacking in the Grand Canyon! Did your friend blog about his journey?
DeleteYou constantly amaze me with your creative talent, in words, photography and now painting.
ReplyDeleteThank You Helen! I make sure to keep busy with the things that bring joy! With the painting, I want to keep learning and growing, like the saying goes, you are never too old to learn!
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