By Michèle Coppin
Summer is mostly associated with the beach, but at the other end of the spectrum lie deserts – fantastic, wild landscapes with sandstone spines, rocky mountain, sandy dunes and valleys.
Deserts are painted with palettes of soft pinks, tans, golden yellows, rich browns, deep oranges and fiery reds with deep purple shadows. The light has a different quality in the desert. Its long rays turn pale tans and ocher into shades of flamboyant crimson.
Many national parks are home to these dry treasures, which are well worth a detour, if not a destination. My favorites are: Monument Valley, Arizona, Anza Borrego, California and Zion, Utah. They are spectacular jewels of nature.
Deserts have been inspiring artists for millennia, but to date, no one has captured the desert's colors, atmosphere and flowing combination of flora and geology better than Georgia O'Keeffe, who painted the landscapes of her beloved New Mexico.
The colors of the desert provide great palettes for warm, earthy interiors that can be beautifully enhanced with Valspar's Sandstone technique. Sandstone's soft, sandy texture and distinctive granular appearance adds unique style and quiet sophistication to walls, while also hiding imperfections in three easy steps. Follow Valspar's Sandstone instructions to give it a try.
