Upon entering the welcome center at the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA, there is a small alcove-like space off to the side that houses Keith’s incredible portrait of the California Alps. The inspiration for this portrait is not actually any part of Yosemite National Park, but Keith idealized the mountains of California in this painting. The portrait is located in an area where it draws the attention of anyone passing by.
Keith is a master at using different forms of light in his paintings and this is very evident in the light hitting the mountains. The light then fades into darker tones as it reaches the lower part of the forest, and finally reaches its full brightness as it illuminates the grassy area in front of the painting. “The California Alps” also portrays Native American life as it would have been in their early years. It shows a small Indian village with tipis that is along a river. Keith had an eye for capturing the mountains of Yosemite National Park and in his painting “The California Alps” he brought this skill to fruition. As mentioned above, it is his use of light that draws the viewers attention as they walk past this large painting. Somehow, Keith was able to perfectly get the right colors for his painting and skillfully apply them to create a remarkable piece of art.
Simply by looking at the masterpieces created by Keith, one can better appreciate the world around them. This is not limited only to nature, but also to the complexity of the human mind and the creative products that he is capable of making. Painting is a talent that not many people have, and many of those who do have the talent have never taken the time to develop it.