The Pass of Boquer

First day out sketching on my lonesome, walking through the countryside towards the pass of Boquer valley. Rising up before me is the impressive start of the Sierra del Cavall Bernat with the opening cleft in the rocks, on the left, that lead through the valley towards the peaceful Bahai de Boquer:

Pastels on ingres paper, 30x22cm: "The Pass of Boquer"; Bare ocher and siena rock breaks out of dense scrub gathered around it's lower slopes with the pass opening like a gateway carved out of the rock with one stroke of some gigantic chopping knife. A screen of ancient pines marches down the slope marking off the mountain from the flat grass and wildflower fields. Overhead a large raptor drifts in the light breeze; it looks like a Buzzard but doesnt have a buzzrds pale markings on the underside, so it could be Eleanoras Falcon which are very common in this area.
Along the narrow lanes, growing out of the stone dykes are these wonderful cactoid plants with their flaming torch flowers:
Pastel on ingres paper, 22x15cm: "Cactus Flame"; It's as though their organic life cannot be contained, bursting out exuberantly in apparent haphazard fashion making the most wonderful abstract shapes.

This small painting can be purchased in my shop at Etsy: http://davidcornelius.etsy.com/