The beauty of the Western U.S. is alive in the work of artist William Haskell. The Santa Fe-based creative depicts the varied landscapes in this part of the country through striking abstract paintings. Featuring bold shapes and vibrant hues, the likes of mountains, cacti, and waterways help each piece communicate the inherent beauty of the desert, along with its vastness that makes it feel so wild and free.
Inspired by the terrain since he was a young child, Haskell is drawn to the intense light and shadow that can be seen in the chiseled canyons and among the brittle leaves of desert plants. He’s since developed a visual language that you’ll find throughout his works. “The dust devil or tornado is used as a metaphor for life and represents the change our lives and our world are constantly going through,” he explains to My Modern Met. “The dust devil has many different meanings to many different cultures but often represents ghosts or spirits. The cactus has such a beautiful and modern shape to me and is an ultimate survivor.”
Scroll down to see Haskell’s paintings. His work is available as prints and accessories in his online shop.
Artist William Haskell creates abstract landscape paintings inspired by the beauty of the Western U.S.
Featuring bold shapes and vibrant hues, the likes of mountains, cacti, and waterways help each piece communicate the inherent beauty of the desert…
…along with its vastness that makes it feel so wild and free.
Haskell is drawn to the intense light and shadow that can be seen in the chiseled canyons and among the brittle leaves of desert plants.
The results are striking, and an homage to this majestic terrain.
William Haskell: Website | Instagram| Facebook
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by William Haskell.
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