Santa Cruz De La Canada Mission Doors

I was rooting around in my photography archives and ran across this photograph of the doors of the mission in Santa Cruz, NM. I had always meant to process this work and had somehow forgotten it. The mission, Santa Cruz de la Canada, was built in 1733 and has a reputation of being the best mission in New Mexico. I also found an old photo taken of the mission in 1881. I hope you enjoy them both.

Mission Doors

The beautifully carved wooden mission doors at Santa Cruz de la Canada mission.

Santa Cruz de la Canada Church, Santa Cruz, New Mexico

The Santa Cruz church in 1881. 

Photo by William Henry Jackson.

mission art

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Southwestern Mission In Chimayo, New Mexico

You will find that most of the photographs of El Santuario de Chimayo are of the exterior.  But for me the interior is by far the most interesting and beautiful to view.  The old Spanish mission was built in 1816 by a private individual and became a National Historic Landmark in 1970.  It is definitely a worthwhile destination on your next trip to the southwest.  I took this photo a few years ago, and have always liked the warm golden glow inside the sanctuary. I have taken a second look at it making minor improvements and have given it a new crop. If curious, you can see the earlier version and post here.  

Sacred Sanctuary

An old Spanish mission is bathed in soft golden light illuminating the lovely wooden interior and altar. Chimayo, New Mexico

spanish mission art

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Southwestern Red Country

I am having a love affair. It has been enticing me for many years off and on, but has come to full bloom this past spring. I am truly in love with the desert southwest. I love the sienna canyons with their majestic towering cliffs. I love the hardy desert blooms that struggle and wait patiently for that monsoon rain. I love the bluest of skies and the spectacular sunsets. And maybe most of all, I love the vastness of the landscapes. It puts you in your place instantly. You can not help but gaze in wonderment at the grand glory of it all. 

Thanks for dropping by! I would love to hear your comments.

Red Country 

Wild reservation horses graze on the sparse grasses next to a ruddy spring creek under the watch of giant canyon walls in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona.

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Southwestern Cliff Dwellers

The vast and towering red sandstone canyon walls dwarfed the many roomed pueblo of the ancient Anasazi ruins. Evidence of handholds and ancient ladders were gone. Petroglyphs and walls remained. And so did human remains and artifacts of a past time. 

As I stood there looking up from far below my mind wandered through the unapproachable rooms. Wild turkeys would have been running about eating insects and ready to sound the alarm at the approach of predators. A mother was grinding corn with her children playing around her. The father was just back from a successful hunting trip, smoking with the men, and talking about the good fortune that would provide for all the families in the pueblo. 

For over a thousand years life was good for them. Archaeologists speculate that climate change was the reason for them leaving. There is overwhelming evidence that the exodus continued in waves for hundreds of years. If you would like to know more about this subject I highly recommend reading, "House of Rain," by Craig Childs. It is not only informative but quite fun in an "Indiana Jones" kind of way. 

I would love to hear from you so remember to leave me a comment.  Cheers!

Cliff Dwelling 

Southwestern cliff dwelling, of an ancient prehistoric pueblo of the Anasazi in the American southwest nestled into a towering red rock cliff. 

Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

 

Also available on Etsy 

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Southwestern Canyon Horses

There are still places in the west where time seems to have stopped. Canyon de Chelly, Arizona is one such place. On our hot trek down the steep canyon walls we stopped often to take in the lovely valley below and rest in the scarce shade.

When we reached the bottom there was a small green stream meandering across the sandy floor with a small herd of reservation horses nearby. I watched the herd until I noticed this mother and her foal.

They were wary of my approach so I crouched on a rock and watched until they became accustomed to my presence. Mom paused for just a second, turning to give her growing baby a nuzzle of reassurance, then they walked by me. It is moments like this one that I find so rewarding in shooting photography. You just never know what sweet surprise nature will reveal to you.

 

Reservation Horses 

Two reservation horses, a mother and her foal, nuzzle each other in reassurance in a southwestern canyon. Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

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Copyright ©Julie Magers Soulen 

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Soaring in Canyon de Chelly

The heat rose from the bottom of the canyon in shimmering waves. The red cliffs radiated their own fire in the evening light. The large graceful birds with six foot wing spans floated like dark kites on the updrafts never needing a wing beat. Their endless soaring created lazy spirals going higher and higher until I lost them in the empty sky. 

Soar 

Turkey vultures, with wingspans of 63–72 inches, gracefully ride the updrafts near red sienna canyon walls. A perfect way to add the natural beauty of the southwest to your home, office, or bedroom decor. 

Canyon de Chelly, Arizona 

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The small red box on the right side of this photo is the same area photographed in "Soar."  It gives you an idea of the grand scale of the canyon.

 

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

The Face of the Southwest

The long line of school children stretched out on the steep and dusty trail for a half mile. They clumped into little groups giggling, resting in the shade and watching the teachers. The only thing different about this group of kids was that they were going to see their own native American history of prehistoric ruins in Canyon de Chelly. 

Once they all reached the ruins most were continuing on with their private discussions, ignoring their surroundings, and just glad to be out of the classroom. But this one little boy in the straw hat was different. He was thinking hard about something, perhaps his own people's history from long ago. 

 

Pueblo Boy

A native American boy gazes pensively at the ground while on a field trip to Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. The ruins in the background could well be his ancestors' home.

 

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Desert Bloom

My boots were kicking up the dry orange dust in small puffs on the rocky trail into Canyon de Chelly. My eyes were darting about taking in the dramatic red sandstone canyon and making me wish I had a wide angle lens to capture it all in one gulp. I paused in a patch of rare shade cast by a scraggly cedar and saw a brilliant red patch of desert paintbrush. It was alone in the dusty landscape of scrub brush and rock making a bold statement of I am. Smiling with my discovery I shot this photo. I hope you enjoy this desert beauty. 

 

Desert Paintbrush 

Indian paintbrush photo, of a red desert paintbrush wildflower blooming in brilliant red in a southwestern desert canyon. Perfect for adding the desert beauty of the southwest to your home, office, or bedroom decor. Canyon de Chelly, Arizona 

Visit my Colorado Fine Art Photography Gallery or Etsy for more information. 

 

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Cowboy Caveman Silhouette

On my recent trip to Canyon de Chelly we hiked the only available public trail to the White House Ruins. It was steep, hot and unbelievably beautiful. There were a couple of tunnels channeled through the red sandstone and it was like stepping into air conditioning. We paused to rest slugging warm water in gulps. That is when I caught this image of Ric looking out at the beautiful swirls and layers of red rock. Snap! My cowboy caveman. 

 

Cowboy Caveman 

A cowboy silhouetted in the entrance of a long tunnel in Canyon de Chelly finds respite from the heat. Perfect for adding the beauty of the west to your home, office, or bedroom decor.
Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

New Photography Gallery on Fine Art America

I recently started selling my photography on Fine Art America and wanted to introduce you to my new gallery.   I am very excited to offer so many more options besides a standard print for my work; framing, canvas wraps, acrylic prints and even cards for every photo that I sell. I hope you will stop by and let me know what you think.

There also happens to be a national TV contest for photographers going on at FAA. The winner will have their work appear in a national TV commercial.   I need 250 votes to be eligible for judging.   If you like any or all of these three photographs that I have entered I would love to have your vote. Simply click on the provided link under each photo. (You can use your Facebook login too!)

So please stop by and visit my new photography gallery and if you like my photography please vote for me. Cheers!

 

Vote for Misty Pines

   

  Vote for Shyness 

   

Vote for Spider Rock Evening

 

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

Spider Rock. I kept hearing about this place in Canyon de Chelly and could not visualize what a spider rock would look like. When we arrived at the pull out and I took in the view I got it. You have to be a spider to climb that rock! 

We arrived in the late morning and the lighting was not optimal but I shot anyway. The bottom photo is actually two shots "stitched" together to get a wider view. I knew I had to come back when the sun was getting low and capture that beautiful towering red rock at sunset. The first picture is just that. I hope you like my two examples of Spider Rock. 

 I would love to hear which one you like and why. Thanks for stopping by! 

Spider Rock Evening 

Southwestern canyon photo, of the beautiful red sandstone towers at Canyon de Chelly in northeastern Arizona on a perfect evening. A great way to add the beauty of the southwest to your home, office, or bedroom decor. Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

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Spider Rock Morning

Southwestern canyon photo, of the beautiful red sandstone towers at Canyon de Chelly in northeastern Arizona on a perfect morning. A great way to add the beauty of the southwest to your home, office, or bedroom decor. Canyon de Chelly, Arizona

purchase information

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.