"Ranger Bill" capturing a hedgehog cactus in Organ Pipe Our long-time “gang” member and tour leader, “Ranger Bill (aka Dr. William Shaw, the renowned wildlife biologist) and his wife Darcy recently led the other members of our “gang” on a short trip to see the remarkable Sonoran Desert World Heritage site, El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve in Mexico with an overnight in one of Arizona’s oldest mining towns, Ajo, Arizona. Although the Pinacate reserve was our primary focus, our overnight stop in Ajo was a surprisingly rewarding destination. The old 1916 Ajo plaza which is one of Arizona’s great public squares has been restored, and the 1916 Curley School campus which looms up to the west of the plaza is now the home for the “Sonoran Desert Conference Center”, the “International Sonoran Desert Alliance”, a community garden, and numerous artists’ lofts and work spaces.
Sonoran Desert Conference Center, Ajo We stayed at the Conference Center in rooms that were tastefully converted from the old classrooms and featured light fixture sculptures created from the old classroom fluorescent light fixtures and many other touches recalling the old classrooms. Although we only had a short time in Ajo, I managed a few sketches of the Curley School entrance, its stately dome, and the entry balcony with an owl sculpture to oversee the entering students. The school was full of scuplture and educational inspirations as a majestic reminder of Ajo’s glorious mining days.
Ajo plaza train station - now the Ajo Visitor Center While waiting for breakfast, I managed to sneak in a quick sketch of the Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend Railroad station at the east end of the Ajo plaza while chatting with the plaza caretaker who was rightly proud to be a native of Ajo with employment on the town’s plaza. After breakfast, we stopped at the Ajo Chevron & Food Mart, El Cobre Deli (named after Ajo’s copper mining history), which is known for their homemade burritos. The display of these infamous burritos at a gas station was worthy of several sketches, but we were anxious to get to the Pinacate reserve so that we could be sure to have a campsite for the evening.
Centro de Visitantes Schuk Toak It was a relatively quick trip from Ajo across the border to the Reserve’s entrance just south of Sonoyta on Federal Highway 8 on the way to “Rocky Point” (Puerto Penasco) - where most of the traffic of the massive American RV’s were headed. Before entering the Reserve, we stopped at the new Visitor Center (“Centro de Visitantes Schuk Toak”) just a few kilometers further south on highway 8. The building is an extraordinary self-sustaining building in the middle of a lava field which is worth the short visit to see the numerous introductory exhibits for the Reserve.
The "Gang" at Elegante Although Arizona did not get very much winter rain this year, the Mexican Sonoran Desert must have received some recent moisture resulting in an impressive show of yellow brittle bush flowers and red blooms crowning the ocotillo plant. As we drove further into the volcanic areas of the Reserve, the black cinders covering the landscape and the exuberance of spring flowers provided a striking contrast between the harsh land and the ephemeral seasonal flower display. It was difficult to resist stopping every few feet to try to capture the splendor on camera and in watercolours. Our first stop was the Elegante Crater, where I foolishly tried to capture the entire crater landscape in a single quick sketch.
Fellow gang member Karen Wood took a picture of my effort to capture this immense crater. Her photo does a better job of showing the scale of the crater. Frustrated with the difficulty of sketching the crater and annoyed with my travel water brush that kept drying out too quickly, I tried to take in another scene while sitting in the shade of a Palo Verde tree.
After touring a bit more, we drove to our designated camp in Tecolate where we hiked up the cinder hill and then we settled into an evening under the stars. Fellow gang member, astronomer, and expert photographer Steve Larson took a sunset shot of me sketching our camp from on top of the cinder hill. He then took another one of me walking back to our camp amongst the yellow brittle bush and ocotillos. I wish my sketch was as successful as Steve’s photos.
After cocktails, Bill and Darcy provided a gourmet meal of turkey chili, cornbread, salad, and a decadent dessert of salted caramel bars. With the sun over the crater, Lindy amused us with her “Star Walker” phone app while Steve Larson provided further commentary on clear evening sky. With Lindy still playing with her phone app, everyone else scrambled off to bed rolls inside their cars while Lindy and I enjoyed the evening sky outside on our luxurious folding cots.
Tecolate Campground companions The next morning, I wanted to try to avoid yesterday’s sketching mistakes and tried a more modest sketch of the organ pipe cactus and ocotillo plant that kept me company during the night. This simpler subject was a much more satisfying way to start the day. We then drove through a stand of regal saguaros amongst the brittle bush on our way to the Cerro Colorado Crater. Although I desperately wanted to stop and sketch this, I had to fabricate the sketch later from memory which is far less rewarding than sketching in place.
We drove to the top of the Cerro Colorado, and I was again faced with a massive scene to capture. This time I tried not to paint the entire crater and surrounding landscape. I think I managed to stop in time to keep the image from becoming too muddy. It was certainly a less frustrating approach and allowed for more interpretation within the lines.
We drove to the top of the Cerro Colorado, and I was again faced with a massive scene to capture. This time I tried not to paint the entire crater and surrounding landscape. I think I managed to stop in time to keep the image from becoming too muddy. It was certainly a less frustrating approach and allowed for more interpretation within the lines.
Recollection sketch of saguaros and brittle bush after leaving the Tecolate Campground
Cerro Colorado crater rim - morning sketch
A shady sketching spot - photo by Karen Wood Later while the others hiked, I again tried to capture the entire Cerro Colorado from the crater’s base in a shady spot – my efforts were again captured by Karen.
My last sketch of the trip was perhaps my most ambitious as I tied to insert the gang hiking toward the crater. No matter how hard I tried to simplify the sketch, I couldn’t resist drawing the entire conical shape, but did manage to leave out enough to allow for some white paper to remain between the lines.
I started this trip hoping to capture a magnificent landscape in a few sketches, but found that the Reserve’s grandeur was a bit more challenging for me. The experience did remind me to keep looking for the essence in a place and not try to put everything into a watercolour travel sketch.
My last sketch of the trip was perhaps my most ambitious as I tied to insert the gang hiking toward the crater. No matter how hard I tried to simplify the sketch, I couldn’t resist drawing the entire conical shape, but did manage to leave out enough to allow for some white paper to remain between the lines.
I started this trip hoping to capture a magnificent landscape in a few sketches, but found that the Reserve’s grandeur was a bit more challenging for me. The experience did remind me to keep looking for the essence in a place and not try to put everything into a watercolour travel sketch.
Final sketch of Cerro Colorado with Lindy Brigham, Karen Wood, and Darcy Shaw hiking in the foreground
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