Part Location and Part Studio

Several Years back while living in Mesa Arizona I watched as the clouds started piling up during the Monsoon season.  I grabbed my portable easle and drove over to the Rio Salido (Salt River) to the approximate location that the settlers from Utah crossed.  I painted the clouds and light on Red mountain at that spot.  While the river was dry I was already planning the crossing scene that I would paint in my studio at a later time.