Darcie Peet

1.Though summer monsoon season is the most dramatic, even in the winter months in the desert, we can still have dramatic storms and “cloudscapes.” Add the low sun and late afternoon light and color richens across the sky and landscape. For sale. $1700. Available at K Newby Gallery & Sculpture Garden, 15 Tubac Rd., Tubac, AZ 85646-4217, 520-398-9662, Toll free: 888-398-9662, www.newbygallery.com/artist/darcie-peet/ www.darciepeet.com

2. Coming up the long trail from Hidden Lake, Glacier National Park, we turned around to look back on our journey that day. Now far below, we could see Hidden Lake, its islands, inlets, and irregular shoreline. The early evening light turned scattered clouds warm white and peach, at the same time creating dramatic, shadow-sun contrast illuminating masses of avalanche or Glacier Lilies across the high, alpine meadow. For sale. $4900. Available at A. Banks Gallery, 127 E. Main St., Bozeman, MT 59715, 406-586-1000, www.abanksgallery.com/darcie-peet/ www.darciepeet.com

3. I have always wanted to return to Canyon de Chelly in winter when the low sun and long shadows of winter, along with the myriad colors of snow would complement the drama of the soaring red rock walls. With a private guide for two days, what an adventure it was being able to venture via jeep, ever so slowly, to the far end of both canyons in early morning and late afternoon light each day. We heard a wealth of historical stories, myths and legends about the dwelling ruins, battles, special hiding places, historic lifestyles or even tales spun about the geologic shapes of rocks, cracks, crevices and walls where recesses like this would be used for grain storage. The canyons are forever speaking, and thus the title of my painting, “What Stories These Walls Could Tell.” For sale. $3700. Available at Settlers West Gallery, 6420 N. Campbell Ave. Tucson, AZ 85718, 520-299-2607 www.settlerswest.com www.darciepeet.com

4. Swiftcurrent Lake, Glacier National Park. As an overnight storm begins to recede, dawn turns breaking clouds soft peach while setting Mt. Wilbur aglow. Early September snow threads across the peak as a chilly, morning breeze creates soft rippling sounds along the shore. Soon we’ll embark on our day’s hike up the Red Rock Lake trail in the valley just to the left of Mt. Wilbur, ending with a picnic lunch at Bullhead Lake. What a day of painting inspiration and great moose sightings this turned out to be! For sale. $1300. Available through David Wilkinson and ArtzLine, America’s Online Gallery, 800-958-5360, www.artzline.com/darcie-peet/ www.darciepeet.com

Of the many years I have lived in Colorado, I had never explored this part of the state. On a crisp, blue-sky, Colorado, fall day we started our journey leaving Carbondale at the base of Mt. Sopris heading toward Redstone and Marble. At stream’s edge and at the end of this narrow, once traveled, overgrown, dirt road lay a homestead dotted with numerous outbuildings. One can almost hear the past bustle of ranch equipment, animals and family as a long workday is ahead getting ready for winter, foretold by the backdrop of early, snow-laden peaks of McClure Pass. Next will be Kebler Pass and Crested Butte, hopefully before dark. For sale. $5900. Available at The Broadmoor Galleries, 1 Lake Ave., Colorado Springs, CO 80906. 719-577-5744, www.broadmoorgalleries.com/darcie-peet/ www.darciepeet.com