Navajo Palapa

Navajo Palapa

Before I was known as a contemporary Sedona artist, I created this landscape painting of this Navajo Palapa (a Spanish word of Mayan origin. Palapa means “pulpous leaf”) is an open-sided shade dwelling. This type of shelter is widely used here in the southwest and can be found here as well. When I created this watercolor landscape, the original background was a stand of trees. However, I decided to put Monument Valley in the setting, which is a truly spiritual place. Having visited this iconic location and painting a 10′ x 3′ version of it, being drawn to using it in many of my southwest canvas landscapes. To see a different version of this painting, click here.

Discover Monument Valley

Monument Valley attracted many Hollywood film crews to it. As a result, great and memorable cinematic productions have frequently graced the Navajo Nation — particularly Monument Valley. Thanks to director John Ford, this became the familiar backdrop for the American western genre. However, Monument Valley isn’t only for dusty cowboy movies and science-fiction flicks, contemporary action movies, and even comedies. Here are 12 films that filmed memorable scenes in the iconic Navajo landscape. Stagecoach (1939), My Darling Clementine (1946), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), The How the West Was Won (1962), Easy Rider (1968), 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), The Eiger Sanction (1975), National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983), Back to the Future Part III (1990), Forrest Gump (1994), The Lone Ranger (2013).

Valley of a Tributary

This canvas landscape wall art of this teepee and covered wagon, along with Monument Valley on the horizon, is located in Taos, New Mexico, located in a valley of a tributary of the Rio Grande. An elevation of approximately 7,600 feet. Indians built their teepees, Wagons, and Palapa’s depicted here in my painting.  All are authentic and located in the Taos Valley. 

Wall Art related to New Mexico

Taos Vigas   Pueblo Mission   Drums & Moccasins   San Miguel Mission   Sandoval Snow  

Santa Clara  Sunbird     San Ysidro    Transient Sky   Mondays   Monument Valley   Taos Pueblo 

1001 Nights