Joshua Tree Cactus

Joshua Tree Cactus
18 x 24 x .75 in. — Acrylic on Canvas
Original painting by Kelly O’Brien

This painting captures the alien charisma of the cholla cactus under a pink desert sky. Rendered in tonal reds, maroons, and dusty violets, the spines twist upward like gestures frozen mid-reach, under a sun that pulses like a distant planet.

While rooted in the real flora of Joshua Tree, the composition pushes beyond realism—evoking the hallucinatory, cinematic quality that desert light often brings. The cacti feel anthropomorphic, theatrical. They're not just growing—they're performing.

The piece is part of a small-format series celebrating desert stillness and surrealism. This one leans more mythic, with the largest cactus almost resembling a dancer or deity in silhouette.

Notable Features:

• Part of a companion series with Joshua Tree Rocks

• Stylized representation of cholla and ocotillo, abstracted through color and form

• The textured brushwork mimics spines, grit, and desert resilience

• Makes a striking diptych when paired with other 18x24s in the set

Artist’s Note:
“There’s something about cacti that makes them feel both ancient and futuristic. This one reminded me of a character—mid-transformation, mid-expression. I didn’t want to paint it as just a plant. I wanted to paint its essence.”