We’re off to the next stop on our road trip series through Don Suggs’ “Paradise Prints”. After leaving Zion National Park in Utah, we make our way north to the majestic Yellowstone National Park. 

In “Faithful,” 2011, Suggs captured the famous Yellowstone geyser Old Faithful. In the image, steam wafts from a hidden earth source, below an expansive cloudy sky. The hovering radial abstraction has a glowing orange heart, which references the heat source of the geyser, and is encircled by shades of grey and blue that allude to the geyser’s steam and the sheltering sky.

Faithful, 2011, archival inkjet print on Crane Museo Max paper, 44 x 29 ½ in. (111.8 x 74.9 cm) framed

During his time in Yellowstone, Suggs also found inspiration in the thermal springs and abyss pools found throughout the park grounds. By analyzing their color palette, Suggs painted these circular abstractions based on the vibrant colors naturally produced by these abyss pools. Here’s an example of one of these paintings along with Suggs’ schematic drawings, which illustrate his methodical process.

Abyss Pool, 2012, oil and acrylic on canvas, 59 ¾ x 59 ¾ x 3 ½ in. (151.8 x 151.8 x 8.9 cm)

Color schematic for Abyss Pool

Schematic drawing for Abyss Pool