Southwest Color Mixing: Herbs & Earth Pigments

From my Phoenix herb garden straight into the studio—roots, sage, and sun-baked clay shape every palette. Like Miles Davis layering muted brass over steady basslines, these tones build slow and true.

Desert Sage Green — Grounded, enduring
Clay Ochre — Warm, resilient Southwest dust
Mesquite Bark Brown — Deep texture, gospel-rooted
Herb Shadow — Quiet layers like Hilma af Klint veils

Seniors and youth alike learn these mixes in my workshops: no waste, every drop counted. The same discipline that kept our community stories alive through the civil-rights years now paints living color on canvas.