A view of the Pease River from the cliff tops that was also the location of our camp for two nights.
There are places on this earth, landscapes and environments, which are beautiful. Beautiful in a quiet, peaceful benevolent kind of way. Words like paradise, or utopia or heaven might be used to describe them. There are other places, other landscapes that are equally beautiful, equally magnificent. It’s a solid, timeless beauty – crisp and quiet. Its’ mood can quickly swing from benevolent to something that seems to be laced with malice. It’s a beauty with an edge, and that edge sometimes leaves a mark on the viewer. A mark that cuts deep into your soul, and sometimes in your body.
Last morning of trip I walked to the edge of the cliff tops to look one last time at the Pease River and stepped right over this guy. Reminded me of Proverbs 16:9 “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.”
When my fellow artist and friend, Pete Quaid, invited my wife and I along on a painting and photography trip the last weekend in June, it was to a place described above, one that leaves a mark; a place with an edge, but also a place of incredible beauty, both day and night.
Our destination was the isolated property of one of Pete’s good friends who owns several hundred acres in the panhandle region of Texas, bordered by the Pease River. I had painted here in October of the previous year and was eagar for my wife, Donna, to see this beautiful place.
Most people who hear of a trip to the panhandle of Texas say “Why would you go there? There is nothing out there.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The panhandle of Texas has some of the most beautiful and amazing landscapes in the world, inhabited with a myriad of creatures designed by the Creator of the Universe. And to literally “top it all off”, the night skies are awe-inspiring.
The spring that had recently ended was one of the wettest springs in recent Texas history. The rain started in late April and hardly stopped until mid to late June. This left an unusually dynamic landscape for this time of year. The land was very green, clothed with prairie grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees (although trees got thinner as we drove north) that were still showing the benefit of frequent spring rains. This array of every shade of green you can imagine was complimented by the red and reddish brown sandstone rocks, cliffs and gullies of the panhandle region. This landscape, at this particular time in history, was ripe for both the brush and camera lens.
Pete Quaid and Steve Miller painting on porch of cabin overlooking the Pease River. A rainstorm was the motivation to paint on the porch.
We camped on the property for two days, painting, shooting photos both day and night, and simply enjoying the rich gift of God’s creation.
Not long after we set up camp, a rain storm moved across the plains. It was not a surprise at all, as we were actually able to see it come towards us from the southwest direction. Pete and I set up to paint our first “plein air” piece under the shelter of a small cabin’s porch that was on the property at the top of some cliffs overlooking the Pease River, where we also camped. The rain that came as we painted was refreshing and left us with a challenge to paint. The mist rose from the gentle hills and river valley, changing all the values of the landscape into something that bordered on mysterious. However, it didn’t last long enough for me to capture on my panel – the clouds begin to break up and the sun shown through and the mysterious mist and soft values faded into a sunlit landscape once again.
The King’s View, 12 x 16 plein air oil painting on panel
As the bright Texas sun begin to drop behind the western horizon, little lights begin to show themselves in the ever strengthening darkness, along with a moon that was almost full. This bright moon lit the landscape somewhat in the darkness, but it also weakened the visual display that is ever present in the skies of the panhandle and night. On a moonless, clear night, the Milky Way Galaxy is incredible to see. As are the millions and billions of stars that populate the immense reaches of space. But tonight, the moon mask most of this splendor, and only a small percentage of the stars could be seen. But, as they say, “the night was young”. Due to some knee pain from fairly recent surgery, I found myself awake, staring through the screen of the tent at 4:00 a.m. Everything had changed. the moon had sank behind the dark horizon and the night sky had come alive with the incredible and indescribable lights of the Milky Way and it’s billions of twinkling companions.
Under the stars
I had recently read an article on the web describing a method of shooting the night sky and that article was enough motivation to crawl out of the tent at four in the morning with camera and tripod to give it a shot (perhaps a pun was intended 🙂
Although you could see the wisp of the Milky Way Galaxy and more stars than you ever thought existed with your naked eye, the light the camera captured through the 10 to 15 second exposure overwhelmed me. It was an immediate and awe-inspiring reminder of the all powerful, infinitely wise, holy, and loving God described in Psalm 19 – “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge.”
I was also reminded of Psalm 33:6, which says ” By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host. ” Imagine that – God breathed out the stars, spoke that universe into existence.
Time Exposure of Milky Way Galaxy, Pease River and the distant glow of Paducah, Texas
When I crawled back into our tent on the cliff tops overlooking the Pease river under this vast night sky, I was again thankful for a God who was still in control. I was reminded that God is ever present to believers, but not always visible. Even in the darkest night, He is there, and He has not dropped the ball. I was also very thankful I had not stepped on a rattlesnake in the darkness.
The next day Pete, Donna and I headed down to the bottom of the cliff tops to the cool waters of the Pease river to paint and shoot some photos. The Pease River is unique in several ways. As the landowner told us, the surrounding landscape has a high mineral content, salt in particular. This makes the Pease River very salty. Not much grows in it, only one little fish lives in it. The river bed is red sand that seems to be alive. The water is mostly shallow, only inches deep in most places. This makes a great river for wading; cool clear water with a sandy bottom. Almost like being on the beach.
Pete wandered down stream a bit and set up his easel. Donna roamed up and down the cool river bed shooting photos, and I set up with a view towards the cliffs to paint the river bed, cliffs and distant landscape. I quickly discovered that the sandy river bed was seemingly alive and ever changing. In some spots if you stood still, the sand would shift from under your feet and you would begin to sink towards the center of the earth. Ok, maybe not quiet that drastic, but at times you did wonder how far you would actually sink if you did not move to firmer footing. When I set my easel up in this environment, it began to settle down into the sand, the legs of both my easel and portable stool getting shorter and shorter. I begin to reconnoiter that river banks for rocks and sticks to provide a platform for my easel and other gear. Having stabilized the setup, I finally started a painting that I would work on for the next 4 hours. I did wander up and down the river some during this time. Sometimes it helps to remove yourself form your work and revisit to gain a fresh perspective.
Painting on location in the Pease River bed in the Panhandle of Texas
I always enjoy painting outside. It calls me back to the basics, a thankfulness that there is a loving God who cares for us. The weekend we were at the Pease River painting was the weekend the Supreme Court handed down a decision that basically destroyed marriage in America. I was reminded of this as I stood in the Pease River painting the red sandstone of the crumbling cliffs tops. What a vivid example of America: a crumbling culture, a crumbling morality, and crumbling families, which I believe to be the foundation of our society.
But all is not lost. There is a sovereign God who rules the universe. A God who loves us and calls us out of our fallen state, who calls us to repentance and to a relationship with Himself. I’m reminded of the words of Jesus in Mark 13:31 where he says this: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
He also said this:
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28, 29, 30.
