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Elevation: The Dead Sea 1346 Feet Below Sea Level Elevation: Mt. Rainier 14,410 Feet The Dead Sea juxtaposes the painting of Mt. Rainier inverting the mountain triangle it draws attention to the fact that the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth and the continuation of the Great Rift Valley which extends north from Africa. On the far shore is Jordan, the two hills in the foreground are meant to represent Israel and the West Bank (Palestine). The unusual greenish color of the water comes from the high saline content, approximately ten times saltier than the ocean.       Click any thumbnail for larger image of painting... 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time (5:00 p.m. Jerusalem) 15:00 Greenwich Mean Time (7:00 a.m. Lake Washington) Global time is the same in both paintings. The orientation is toward the east and most of the canvas is given over to sky. The early morning sky above Lake Washington is fresh as it often is after a night of rain. By contrast, in Jerusalem the afternoon sky is hot and heavy capturing the feeling of the oppressive “Ham Sin” or “Chinese Heat” that envelopes the region when the prevailing winds are from the east. The foreground of the Jerusalem painting shows the walls of the Old City and the golden Dome of the Rock, the third holiest site in Islam. The Tower of David on the far left has historical significance for Jews and was the site of the 1999 Chihuly glass exhibition. In the distance are the hills of the modern city of Jerusalem, with its university, high rise hotels and apartment blocks. East Jerusalem (the proposed capital of Palestine) and the West Bank town of Silwan are also included. Yakama Sun The Ruins at Arad These paintings make a comparison between the ancient and new worlds with a reference to first peoples. Yakama Sun shows Ahtaneum Ridge the division between the Yakima Valley and the Yakama Nation reservation. The Ruins at Arad show Canaanite ruins circa 2800 BC. The modern town of Arad is nearby. It is generally accepted that Arad has been continuously inhabited for 5000 years. Arad is mentioned in the Bible (Numbers 21:1-3 and Joshua 12:14). The Aravah The Aravah is the name for the southern Israeli desert. In the distance are the Mountains of Moab, at their base is a fortified road that serves as the border with Jordan. In the foreground is an example of dry land farming where extraordinary effort is made to conserve every drop of moisture. Together with Mouth of the Queets these paintings show the marked contrast in water resources. The Queets River cuts across the beach and enters the Pacific Ocean near Kalaloch. The river starts in the western Olympic Mountains, flows through the Quinalt Reservation and past the town of Queets before entering the sea. Mouth of the Queets Chelan/Golan Merge Parts of Chelan County and the Golan Heights look remarkably similar. Looking east, either toward the Golan or the eastern slope of the Cascades, are orchards, vineyards and grasslands. The Golan has been considered disputed territory between Israel and Syria since 1967.