Scoping The Bosque
22×18
Water Miscible Oil on Masonite

The harsh Mojave Desert heat was slowly relinquishing its hold as the cool shadows lengthened and the sun neared the horizon. Two cowboys, a father and his son, stopped to check the bosque for strays. The dense thicket between Knight and Trout Creek where the Big Sandy River begins its journey was a favorite hide-out for cattle. The father dismounted his horse to get a better view of what might lay beneath the thorny canopy while his son watched his every movement learning his techniques for finding the cattle.
The inspiration for this painting came from a photograph that I had taken of my husband and my son at my family’s Trout Creek Ranch in Northwestern Arizona. My husband and son had stopped to scope the Bosque at the convergence of Trout Creek and Knight Creek which are the head waters for the Big Sandy River. In the distance is the beautiful Aquarius Mountain range.
This piece was chosen for the cowboypoetry.com Art Spur Feature in September 2008 and is available for viewing at cowboypoetry.com along with the top poetry submissions inspired by the artwork. This piece was awarded Best of Class and 1st Place, in the Professional Oil Class in the 2008 Pima County Fair. And, is displayed on www.airforcegallery.com in the Air Combat Command, Davis Monthan AFB 2010 Exhibit Gallery.