17 Paintings of National Parks to Be Proud Of By Matthias Anderson
With summer in full swing, we opted to focus on the remarkable parks and historic sites that grace the United States.
Since 1872, our National Park System has grown from a single site (Yellowstone National Park) to include more than 415 natural, historical, recreational, and cultural areas throughout the U.S. and its territories. They now encompass not only national parks, but also national monuments, memorials, military parks, historic sites, parkways, recreation areas, seashores, scenic riverways, and scenic trails.
The U.S. was the first country to develop such a program, and it has subsequently been complemented by thousands of sites designated and operated by states, counties, cities, and other jurisdictions.
The attendance figures at America’s national parks are nothing less than staggering. In 2019, California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area welcomed 15 million people; the Blue Ridge Parkway 14.9 million; the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 12.5 million; New York and New Jersey’s Gateway National Recreation Area 9.4 million; the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., 7.8 million; and so on.
Of course, when we say “national park,” many of us conjure up spectacularly picturesque sites in the West: Grand Canyon National Park had 5.7 million visitors last year; Rocky Mountain National Park 4.7 million; Zion National Park 4.5 million; Yosemite National Park 4.5 million; Yellowstone National Park 4 million; Grand Teton National Park 3.4 million; and Glacier National Park 3 million.
Illustrated here is a medley of artworks made in — and in homage to — some of these beloved sites. In their captions we have indicated which park or site the artist was admiring that day, and now we encourage you to visit your own favorites.
The Grand Canyon
Amery Bohling, (b. 1976), “Virga Showers,” [Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona], 2019, oil on linen, 29 x 36 in., private collectionLyn Boyer (b. 1952), “Our Better Angels,” [Grand Canyon National Park] 2019, oil on linen, 30 x 40 in., private collection
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
John Buxton (b. 1939), “Great Falls of the Passaic,” [Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, New Jersey], 2013, oil on linen, 56 x 35 in., private collection
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Ken Daggett (b. 1953), “Spider Rock,” [Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona], oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in., Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe
Yosemite National Park
Gil Dellinger (b. 1942), “Yosemite Falls,” [Yosemite National Park, California], 2019, acrylic on canvas, 84 x 48 in., St. Joseph’s Hospital, Stockton, California
Denali National Park & Preserve
Veryl Goodnight (b. 1947), “Under the Spell of Denali,” [Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska], 2019, oil on linen, 30 x 48 in., Veryl Goodnight Gallery (Mancos, Colorado)
Big Bend National Park
Sarah Harless (b. 1984), “Alpine,” [Big Bend National Park, Texas], 2019, pastel on board, 6 x 8 in., available from the artist
Sapelo Island
Catherine Hillis (b. 1953), “Sapelo Island Range Front Light,” [Sapelo Island, Georgia], watercolor on paper, 14 x 11 in., collection of the artist
Grand Teton National Park
Peggy Immel (b. 1943), “Daybreak,” [Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming], 2019, oil on linen, 16 x 20 in., private collectionSeptember Vhay (b. 1968), “Levitate,” [Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming], 2017, oil on linen, 18 x 27 in., private collectionJohn Hughes (b. 1949), “Reflections of Morning,” [Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming], 2015, oil on panel, 16 x 28 in., private collection
Assateague Island National Seashore
Kirk McBride (b. 1952), “Small Waves at Sunrise,” [Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland/Virginia], 2015, oil on canvas, 24 x 48 in., private collection
Glacier National Park
Ned Mueller (b. 1940), “Rocks of Ages,” [Glacier National Park, Montana], 2012, oil on linen panel, 11 x 14 in., private collection
Mesa Verde National Park
Robert Peters (b. 1960), “Ancestral Cliffs,” [Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado], 2009, oil on linen, 30 x 44 in., private collection
Everglades National Park
Kent Sullivan (b. 1952), “Silent Path,” [Everglades National Park, Florida], 2017, oil on canvas, 24 x 36 in., private collection
Yellowstone National Park
Kathryn Mapes Turner (b. 1971), “Mammoth Springs,” [Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming/Montana/Idaho], 2018, oil on board, 9 x 12 in., private collection
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
John Caggiano (b. 1949), “Sleepy Dunes,” [Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan], 2019, oil on linen panel, 12 x 24 in., available from the artist
These paintings are so inspirational. Having visited some of the parks several times and thinking of the views the artists portrayed, I realize that every moment is a different view. And, every artist portrays them in a different way. Amazing and so motivational.
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![Ken Daggett (b. 1953), "Spider Rock," [Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona], oil on canvas, 40 x 30 in., Meyer Gallery, Santa Fe](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Daggett-Spider-Rock-paintings-of-national-parks-scaled.jpg)
![Veryl Goodnight (b. 1947), "Under the Spell of Denali," [Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska], 2019, oil on linen, 30 x 48 in., Veryl Goodnight Gallery (Mancos, Colorado)](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Goodnight-Under-the-Spell-of-Denali-paintings-of-national-parks-scaled.jpg)
![Sarah Harless (b. 1984), "Alpine," [Big Bend National Park, Texas], 2019, pastel on board, 6 x 8 in., available from the artist](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Harless-Alpine-paintings-of-national-parks.jpg)
![Catherine Hillis (b. 1953), "Sapelo Island Range Front Light," [Sapelo Island, Georgia], watercolor on paper, 14 x 11 in., collection of the artist](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Hillis-Sapelo-Island-Range-paintings-of-national-parks.jpg)
![September Vhay (b. 1968), "Levitate," [Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming], 2017, oil on linen, 18 x 27 in., private collection](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Vhay-Levitate-paintings-of-national-parks-scaled.jpg)
![John Hughes (b. 1949), "Reflections of Morning," [Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming], 2015, oil on panel, 16 x 28 in., private collection](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Hughes-Reflections-of-Morning-paintings-of-national-parks-scaled.jpg)
![Kirk McBride (b. 1952), "Small Waves at Sunrise," [Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland/Virginia], 2015, oil on canvas, 24 x 48 in., private collection](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/McBride-Small-Waves-At-Sunset-paintings-of-national-parks-scaled.jpg)
![Robert Peters (b. 1960), "Ancestral Cliffs," [Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado], 2009, oil on linen, 30 x 44 in., private collection](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Peters-Ancestral-Cliffs-paintings-of-national-parks-scaled.jpg)
![Kent Sullivan (b. 1952), "Silent Path," [Everglades National Park, Florida], 2017, oil on canvas, 24 x 36 in., private collection](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Sullivan-Silent-Path-paintings-of-national-parks-scaled.jpg)
![John Caggiano (b. 1949), "Sleepy Dunes," [Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan], 2019, oil on linen panel, 12 x 24 in., available from the artist](https://fineartconnoisseur.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Caggiano-Sleepy-Dunes-paintings-of-national-parks-scaled.jpg)
These paintings are so inspirational. Having visited some of the parks several times and thinking of the views the artists portrayed, I realize that every moment is a different view. And, every artist portrays them in a different way. Amazing and so motivational.