The Iceman Clingeth
by Stephanie Grant
Title
The Iceman Clingeth
Artist
Stephanie Grant
Medium
Digital Art - Digital / Photography
Description
In this merge of photographs from Red Rock Canyon, Nevada, the rocks look as though they are made of ice,. One formation looked like a man, possibly an Iceman or astronaut clinging to the surface with the dark blue sky ofspace in the background.
DescriptionA photograph of some of the incredible rock formations found at Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. The unique geologic features, plants and animals of Red Rock represent some of the best examples of the Mojave Desert. In 1990, special legislation supported by the Nevada congressional delegation, changed the status of the Red Rock Recreation Lands to a National Conservation Area (NCA), the seventh to be designated nationally.
During most of its history, Red Rock Canyon was below a warm, shallow sea. Massive fault action and volcanic eruptions caused this seabed to begin rising some 225 million years ago. As the waters receded, sea creatures died, and the calcium in their bodies combined with sea minerals to form limestone cliffs studded with ancient fossils. Some 45 million years later, the region was buried beneath thousands of feet of windblown sand. As time progressed, iron oxide and calcium carbonate infiltrated the sand, consolidating it into cross-bedded rock.
About 100 million years ago, massive fault action began dramatically shifting the rock landscape here, forming spectacular limestone and sandstone cliffs and rugged canyons punctuated by waterfalls, shallow streams, and serene oasis pools.
Red Rock’s valley is home to more than 45 species of mammals, about 100 species of birds, 30 reptiles and amphibians, and an abundance of plant life. Ascending the slopes from the valley, you’ll see cactus and creosote bushes, aromatic purple sage, yellow-flowering blackbrush, yucca and Joshua trees, and, at higher elevations, clusters of forest-green pinyon, juniper, and ponderosa pines. In spring, the desert blooms with extraordinary wildflowers.
In the latter part of the 19th century, Red Rock was a mining site and later a sandstone quarry that provided materials for many buildings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and early Las Vegas. In 1990, Red Rock Canyon became a National Conservation Area that comprises approximately 197,000 acres.
Uploaded
October 2nd, 2014
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Comments (31)
Breena Briggeman
This one speaks to me. Love. It. LF Following Sharing to Pinterest with nice frame. Love helping promote other artists. My Pinterest page is BreenaBriggemanArt and I'm sharing to "Originals There can be only one" board. Awesome work!
Lyric Lucas
Congratulations your creative and unique art work is featured in the "Out Of The Ordinary" group!
Susan Molnar
So interesting - you really CAN see a lot of different things in this image. I love the colors and shapes!