Painting the Journey: A Road Trip Art Story

In May this year 2025, I took off on a wild loop across the Western USA — through Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico — with my sketchbook, paints, and camera in hand.

At nearly every stop, I tried to pause and create something on the spot. Sometimes it was a quick sketch next to the van. Sometimes it was a full painting session on a hiking trail. And sometimes it was just a photo I knew I’d turn into art later.

This series of works is a little love letter to the road — to the cowboys in Utah, the snowy peaks in Colorado, the blooming cactus in Arizona, and the incredible creatives I met along the way. Each piece is tied to a real moment — not just what I saw, but how it felt to stand in it.

I've shared the artworks below — a collection of scenes that now live not only in my memory, but on canvas.

Thanks for following along on the journey.

– Benzie