The Grand Canyon

A journey down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon takes 21 days or more, depending on the time of year and whether you are taking out at Diamond Creek or going 5 days further down to Lake Mead.  The Grand Canyon paintings featured below were all done on location in the Canyon. Most were done on a layover day…a day spent in camp, hiking a side canyon, quietly immersed in the spectacle of the landscape and sound of the river.  Please click the images to view, read their story and (if you are so inspired) to order a limited edition print or the original watercolor for yourself!
deer creek falls grand canyonDeer Creek Falls

Deer Creek enters the Colorado River with a spectacular 200 foot waterfall.  I painted the scene from across the river one afternoon, waiting for our hikers to complete Thunder River loop and make their way down the Deer Creek drainage.  The painting is available as limited edition print as well as the original watercolor.
Colorado River Grand Canyon TuckupColorado River Below Tuckup

We camped at the mouth of Tuckup Canyon on a hot afternoon in in October. As I sat in the shade of a boulder, painting the scene downriver, a family of bighorn sheep made their way past me on the riverbank.
Ruins Nankoweap Grand Canyon Watercolor PaintingRuins at Unkar Delta

On a broad, sandy bench called Unkar Delta, ancient people lived and farmed from A.D. 850 to A.D. 1200. Unkar holds the largest concentration of ruins and artifacts in the Canyon. A stone foundation was the setting for this painting on a stormy day in 2009.

kim solga painting at havasu in the grand canyon

Painting at Havasu. The incredible turquoise color of the water is caused by carbonate minerals, which also create beige and pink travertine formations.
Grand Canyon watercolor painting

164 Mile Rapid

This scroll-like painting captures the vertical drama of the Canyon.

Canyon Reflections

Rock faces in red, brown, gold – with a purple-jade band of Bright Angel shale at river level – reflected in a quiet pool.