“Over the High Desert Trail,” oil on canvas by Melwell, 28×24 – Call Parsons Gallery of the West at +1-575-737-9200
This painting captures the vitality of the high desert landscape, where earth and sky meet in bold movement and color. Sweeping clouds stretch across the horizon, their rhythm echoing the ridges, arroyos, and vegetation below. With expressive brushstrokes and a vibrant palette of emerald greens, warm ochres, and deep blues, the scene invites the viewer to travel the winding path that leads from foreground to distant mountains.
Balancing abstraction and realism, the work conveys more than a view — it embodies the energy and atmosphere of the Southwest. The interplay of light, form, and motion creates a sense of place that is both familiar and reimagined, alive with the spirit of the landscape.