Hot Air Balloons at White Sands

20X16

Oil on Linen Panel

Photograph of Balloons by Melanie Marquez

White Sands is near where I live. Hot Air Balloons there is a once-a-year event and it comes late enough in the year that the sand (gypsum) is comfortable in the morning air. I've had complaints that the sand isn't white enough in this painting. The sand is very light because it is gypsum rather than the kind of sand you would find in other places, but I couldn't make myself make it a truer "white." Melanie took pictures of the balloons last fall. The sand has moved around so much none of my photographs in and around White Sands really look like the painting but the flavor is still there.