Rafting Down the Grand Canyon of the Colorado

Ari Ferro is captivated by the beauty he sees in nature and his paintings aim to capture these feelings. Trees on the banks of lakes and streams, their shadows and reflections, always draw him in.  Although he sees the limitations of his work, he loves the feeling of edging nearer, with each painting, to the resonance he feels. 

He was struck by Proust’s idea about the importance of having new eyes rather than continuously seeking new landscapes, so he can contentedly take the same hike while trying to see the same scenes in new and richer ways.  He tries to see shadows, reflections, ripples, clouds, with fresh eyes on each outing.

Ari was originally from Utah and loves the deserts and mountains, lakes and streams, in that part of the country. He lived there most of his life and leaving was difficult.  For five years after moving to Raleigh he was homesick and believed he would never get over it.  But he did, and now he is perfectly content with his surroundings.  

For many years he dabbled in painting oil on canvas until at last, upon retiring, he focused his energy on artwork. His formal training and career were entirely in science, while his painting was learned from workshops and reading.  He profited greatly from plein-air painting.

Ari’s paintings are of places he has visited while hiking, camping or boating.  His work ranges from a painting of a massive formation in the Grand Canyon to a quiet lake at dusk in the Wyoming wilderness. His recent work has been done in the studio working from original photographs and using a simple pallet of six to eight colors. 

The grandeur of the Grand Canyon is of course one of the most exceptional places on earth, especially for a painter. Ari has taken several rafting trips down the Colorado River in recent years and was struck by the timeless beauty of the Canyon. In these paintings, mostly views from aboard a boat, he tries to capture the light on the red walls and their shimmering reflections in the river water. Even in the more upland settings of a campsite, one is simply surrounded by astonishing views.