After "Ruins, Canyon de Chelly"

gouache and pastel, Canson mi-teints paper, 20.5 x 28.5

This is a copy of a stunning photo by Timothy H. O' Sullivan (1840-1882). Picture tken in 1873, in a niche 50 feet above Canyon Bed. Although I don't like to explain my pictures, I could't help but feel that the striations in the rock were like muscle fibres, hence suggesting that these 1200 year old ruins were in sync with the rocks, the Navaho living organically with the land.