Afternoon with Equus

July 2, 2026

A curious colt investigates at the Dugout Ranch, with a sibling and parents casting a watchful eye over him. Light played across their visages; shadows cut across the mesas; the clouds danced. I stroked his muzzle and stepped back, engaging my shutter. 

In late May, I joined 15 fellow artists for the Fieldworks: Canyonlands Residency hosted by the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art at The Nature Conservancy's Canyonlands Research Center (CRC) in the Dugout Ranch, located on the ancestral homeland of the Diné, Hopi, Paiute, Ute, and Zuni First Nations and near the Bears Ears National Monument (also known as Shash Jáa in Diné bizaad). 

For 5 days, we learned from scientific experts, ranchers, and Indigenous representatives about this sacred Land. We communed and we created together. I am thankful for the fellowship and stimulation in a beautiful and sacrosanct environment unlike anywhere else on Earth. Like all natural places in America, it deserves our understanding, our respect, our protection, and more than ever, our advocacy. 

On June 28, we were notified by the lead residency facilitator that the CRC had evacuated the horses to Monticello and staff were leaving shortly as the Babylon Fire continues to scorch over 100k acres in San Juan County. My heart breaks for them, and the Redd family in particular, which has worked the over 300,000 acre ranch since 1967. “Afternoon With Equus” will be on display at the Eccles Art Center as part of the Ogden Pioneer Days Traces of The West Art Show through July 31, 2026 .

In addition, 10 signed prints on archival paper with archival ink will be released, sized to 10’x30’. 70% of profits will go to the Wildland Firefighters Foundation.

Compassion can spread like wildfire. Contact me for pricing.

© 2026 Nicholas Ioan Lazaroae Studio. Absolutely no use without permission.