![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw4hne0XI0j-y6gtojZtNM7ZyCcnuHdbDOaty2sLdr1TMFlh0nfWdzEGbXhiDE-Sytom_LUUeSkiZ0JzFgZJhqUR4kZps-iKsre2LQ7TfXBH_KNK-L4BU1biZWGgmA5zrgRgaxuAYkTw/s320/KTownsend_2190519_2181110_TowardEscalante_10x12.jpg)
Every spring I go to Southern Utah to paint out in the desert areas. For someone who grew up in the evergreen forests of the Pacific Northwest at sea level, when I cross the mountains to the eastern side I am ever fascinated by the layers of rock and color, and I especially love the area of the Grand Staircase Escalante. These scrubby pines grow at the higher elevations.