Joshua Tree, 2023-

Watching the interplay of colors and textures of the moisture-rich, billowing storm clouds and the sharp, jagged dryness of the terrain, I am captivated by the early afternoon thunderstorm rapidly sweeping across the expansive landscape of Joshua Tree National Park. Above an open plain punctuated with twisted Joshua trees, layers of blue and gray toned storm clouds begin to perform their high drama; ominous, dark, and heavy with water, they tear across the sky while the sun battles to shine through. These clouds signal a warning of the downpour to come, a downpour that provides the flora and fauna a chance to persevere in the increasingly hot and unforgiving desert, if they can seize the opportunity. The commanding Joshua trees depend on well-timed rains to survive. But sun bleached fallen tree trunks in the distance tell a history of expectant rains that have failed to arrive. If the timing isn’t right, these impressive trees fall to the earth, their widespread and shallow roots unable to hold the body upright any longer. A newly fallen Joshua tree with spiked leaves, still displaying the vital green signs of life, continues the tale of the capricious rains caused by the compounding effects of climate change. Through Flash Flood Warning, I strive to transport viewers into this storm-charged landscape of Joshua Tree National Park, where the timing of rare rainstorms determine the success and failure of life in the desert. 
The terrain of Joshua Tree National Park was unlike anything that I had seen before, surprising me with its diverse and transformative landscape created by the convergence of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. Inspiration for Flash Flood Warning struck during an early afternoon drive in October through the park. As I drove through the sweeping plains of wheat-colored grass, gray shrubs, and Joshua trees, storm clouds unexpectedly covered the sky. The “Flash Flooding” signage on the bone dry roads suddenly made sense. Stepping out of the car, I realized the sparse landscape would not be able to absorb the fast-approaching onslaught of heavy rainfall. I hadn’t expected to be rained on while in a desert, and the awe I felt of the danger in nature’s precarious life cycles inspired Flash Flood Warning.