May Western Mini - Prickly Pear

I completely forgot to post what the new Western Mini is over here but I did post it on TikTok, so if you don’t follow me there too, you probably got to see it already. The first several have already gone out in the mail, but I still wanted to share this little piece properly here.

“Prickly Pear” is a 3 1/2” x 2 1/2” painting featuring a blooming prickly pear cactus with two saguaro standing in the background, backed by orange rocky hills beneath a deep red sun and bright blue sky. The sky especially leans into a strong mid-century modern feel with the cloud shapes and color blocking, while the prickly pear itself stays closer to my more traditional painting style.

This piece is also a bit of a preview of the direction I’m heading with my next series. It’s heavily inspired by the Sonoran Desert, Saguaro National Park, and honestly just my excitement over the cactus in my own front yard getting ready to bloom. Prickly pear flowers have always been my favorite, so this one felt especially fun to paint.

Thank you to everyone subscribed to the Monthly Western Mini and supporting these tiny paintings every month.

MERC