This small outcropping of trees is one of my favorite sights on the way to Tuolumne Meadows. Just above Yosemite Creek, three trees have taken a powerful stance among large slabs of golden and white granite. Their forms and stages of growth remind me of interconnected generations, each one adapted to its place in the landscape, shaped by wind, water, and time. And yet through it all, still standing tall together.
I knew I couldn’t pass it by again without painting it. On my next trip, I scrambled down into the gully across the way and found a spot on a small, sloped hillside. Uncomfortable for the day, dusty, uneven, and sun-warmed, I painted. The trees stood steady, rooted and resilient, allowing me to capture their quiet yet powerful stance.
