Joshua tree sunset

Over the last few years, I've spent a lot of time on the road between southern California and Salt Lake City. Much of the drive is dotted with joshua trees, standing contorted and alien-like amidst the arid hills and scrublands of the Mojave. 

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With this papercut, I tried to encapsulate the splendor of those through-the-windshield views, particularly as the sun begins to set and orange and pink clouds make long streaks in the sky up ahead. The distinct twists and angles of a joshua tree are strikingly majestic against such a sky. 

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In the background, the hills blend with the clouds,leaving some abiguity as to where the land ends and the sky begins. I put a layer of cardboard between the cut itself and the orange backing, to create shadows behind the piece that add to the feeling of oncoming dusk.