Irises of the Southern Rim

One week after my defense, my partner, his dad, and I went hiking in the Jemez to recover and rewind. Both of them had helped me immensely in preparing for my thesis, from packing at home to handling a family emergency, and this outing felt well deserved. It was a much-needed day in nature, and a wonderful time.

I had not realized that irises bloom so early on the mountain compared to other wildflowers. There was a natural game path winding through them, which I decided to capture in my sketch. Butterflies moved around me, the colors were striking, and everything felt alive. Perhaps the colors really were more intense after rain, or perhaps it was just my outlook, having finally completed my degree.

Micron pen and watercolor on paper. About 1 h sketch.