Along the Jordan #001
Three Creeks Confluence • Salt Lake City, Utah
Along the Jordan #001
Location: Three Creeks Confluence
Jordan River Parkway
Salt Lake City, Utah
Painted: July 2, 2026
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas Panel
Created: Entirely en plein air
The Beginning of Along the jordan
Every painting starts somewhere, and this one began with a forgotten paint palette.
This is the first completed piece in my Along the Jordan series, an ongoing collection of plein air landscape paintings documenting the Jordan River Parkway throughout Salt Lake City, Utah. My goal is to experience the river one location at a time—slowing down, observing the wildlife, meeting the landscape where it is, and preserving these moments through paint.
For my first destination, I chose Three Creeks Confluence, one of the most unique natural areas along the Jordan River Parkway. This restored wetland is where Parley's Creek, Emigration Creek, and Red Butte Creek come together before flowing into the Jordan River, creating an important ecological area that is home to birds, fish, insects, and native plants. It's a place many people bike or walk through, but few stop long enough to truly observe.
Three Creeks Confluence where Parley’s Creek, Emigration Creek, and Red Butte Creek meet before joining the Jordan River.
A forgotten paint palette
Ironically, my first trip to this location didn't include any painting at all.
I packed my bike with my easel, paints, canvas, brushes, water, and everything I thought I would need before riding about three miles south along the Jordan River Parkway Trail. When I arrived and began unpacking, I realized I had forgotten one very important thing—my paint palette.
After laughing at myself for a moment, I accepted that the painting would have to wait.
Instead, I explored.
Without the pressure of creating, I wandered the trails, listened to the moving water, and paid attention to everything happening around me. Ducks drifted peacefully through the river while fish occasionally disturbed the surface with small splashes. The sounds of flowing water mixed with birdsong and the occasional cyclist passing by, making it easy to understand why so many people enjoy this section of the Jordan River Parkway.
One feature immediately stood out to me—the beautiful red pedestrian bridge stretching across the water. Framed by lush summer foliage and mirrored in the river below, it felt like the perfect subject to begin this series.
The red pedestrian bridge that inspired Along the Jordan #001.
Returning on july 2
A few days later, on July 2, 2026, I returned.
This time, I remembered everything.
Once again, I loaded my painting gear onto my bike and made the ride to Three Creeks Confluence. Painting by bicycle has become part of this project. Traveling the trail at a slower pace allows me to notice details I would probably miss while driving and helps me feel connected to each location before I ever open my paint box.
I found a spot near the river, set up my easel, and spent about two hours painting entirely en plein air¹.
En plein air, French for 'in the open air', is the practice of paintings outdoors.¹
Painting on location along the Jordan River Parkway.
Painting En plein air-in the july heat
The summer sun was strong, so I propped my umbrella against a nearby fence to create enough shade to work comfortably. Thin clouds drifted across the sky throughout the afternoon, softening the light and giving the bridge, trees, and water an even glow without constantly changing shadows.
One of the greatest joys of plein air painting is that you're never working from a still image. The landscape is always changing.
While I painted, ducks paddled quietly along the river, fish played beneath the surface, leaves rustled in the breeze, and the reflections shifted every few minutes. Every brushstroke became a response to what was happening in that exact moment. Unlike working from a photograph in the studio, painting outdoors asks you to observe constantly and make quick decisions about color, light, movement, and atmosphere.
This particular painting session was peaceful. I didn't have any conversations with other people, giving me the opportunity to simply sit, observe, and become immersed in the environment. Those quiet moments are one of the reasons I love painting outdoors—they allow me to appreciate places that are often passed by without a second glance.
A family of ducks that swam past during the painting session.
Why this place matters
This painting became more than a landscape.
It marks the beginning of my Along the Jordan project—a long-term series dedicated to documenting the Jordan River Parkway through the changing seasons. Each painting will capture a different location, weather condition, or moment in time while encouraging others to slow down and discover the beauty that exists throughout the Jordan River corridor in Salt Lake City.
I hope these paintings inspire people to explore the trail, appreciate the wildlife, and see the Jordan River as more than a path between destinations. It is a place full of life, color, and stories waiting to be noticed.
This is only the first stop.
I'm excited to see where the river leads next.
Along the Jordan #001, Completed entirely en plein air on July 2, 2026.
Field Log #001 completed July 2, 2026. The Along the Jordan series continues as I follow the Jordan River one painting at a time.
