The Art Gallery of  John Knapp                      Bryce National Park

This page updated: 11/30/2008

Located in southern Utah are the National Parks of Bryce Canyon and Zion. On a trip to this region in September 2002, I began painting the fascinating rock formation in these two parks.  As a painter of rocks and water, Bryce Canyon was a place  I had to experience.  I have painted in Leslie Gulch Oregon (see previous pages), and the warm colors and unusual shapes of Leslie Gulch found their match in the cliffs of Bryce.  

In the area around Bryce Canyon, the rock formation are on the eastern side of the park.  The high ridge on the west side park provides  access for visitors.  Visitors traveling along the road look to the east to see the various rock formation.  The first painting is from the center of the park in a place called Swamp Creek.  From the visitors platform you can look down and see these tall rock formations called "hoodoos."  

The colors in the evening sun are striking.  The iron oxide in the formations takes on an unusual orange/pink glow.  I find pastels are quite well suited for rendering this effect.

To view the picture in larger format, click on the image.

click image to enlarge
Swamp Canyon Overlook Wallis professional paper Image size 23" X  17"

In 2007 we took a trip to Bryce in the Winter.  I am still working on painting from that trip.  I have but one ready.  It is of the "Natural Bridge".  Yes it was that cold.

click image to enlarge
Natural Bridge Bryce  Canson  pastel paper  image size 9" X 12"

As a traveler enters or leaves the park from or to the west, the road travels through a region called "red canyon."  With similar rock formations to Bryce, the advantage for the painter is that a person can walk around the base of the formation and paint the 'hoodoos" looking up.  Here below is an example of some of those formations.  

To view the picture in larger format, click on the image.

click image to enlarge
Red Canyon Spire Wallis professional paper Image size 23" X 17"

Those interested in purchasing a painting may reach us at:

On line ordering: http://www.premierpastels.com/jkorder.htm
Conventional Ordering: 

• John Knapp

• 1-509-529-7495
  1-509-522-4749
  Fax: 1-509-529-7496

• John Knapp
  1219 W. Pine
  Walla Walla, Washington 99362
  shipping arrangements will be made

Outsource Images:  CD's are available to artists who would like digital photos of various places in the world.  Outsource images are now available for:

Southeastern Oregon: Leslie Gulch and Succor Creek Canyon
Glacier National Park
New England
France, Belgium, and Morocco
Bryce and Zion Utah

Outsource image CDs are images which are free from copyright restrictions. These CDs are created so that artists can have an opportunity to paint from images taken from far distant places and yet be able to use those created images as their own.  I encourage you to link to the pages listed below and consider this new concept.

For more information go to: http://www.bmi.net/knapp/outsource.html