America the Beautiful: Roadtrip of Landscapes

Every few years I like to take a 3 week road trip and try to visit a couple dozen National Park sites. This year, I've been able to go to about 40 park sites in about half a year, including Big Bend, Carlsbad Caverns, White Sand Dunes, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Great Sand Dunes, Zion, Mesa Verde, Rocky Mountains. National Monuments and often State Parks are just as impressive, and less crowded, so I've learned not to dismiss those. I love the landscapes of this gorgeous country and I love each one more when I can contrast it with other, different types of beautiful geography. White sands, red rock, underground caverns, mountain tops, amber waves of grain. We've got it all! Here are some of my favorite moments from my recent travel. 

Aesthetic America

Part of being in artists is a heart-pounding-breathless enthusiasm for beauty. As a freshman in college, I sprinted home to share an amazing rainbow with my roommates."Oh, Kristen,"was their response. "Don't be such an artist."
Worst advice ever.
Being an artist and enjoying the beauties of the natural world are things that bring me joy. Last month my family wrapped up a road trip which included visits to 21 National Parks and Historic Sites in 18 states. It was a thrill to take in the variety of colors and textures of the American landscape. I'm happy to share some of the eye-candy the natural world has to offer.