The camel has a big dumb ugly hump. But in the desert, where prettier, more streamlined beasts die quickly of thirst, the camel survives quite nicely. As legend has it, the camel carries its own water, stores it in its stupid hump. If individuals, like camels, perfect their inner resources, if we have the power within us, then we can cross any wasteland in relative comfort and survive in arid surroundings without relying on the external. Often, moreover, it is our “hump” – that aspect of our being that society finds eccentric, ridiculous, or disagreeable – that holds our sweet waters, our secret well of happiness, the key to our equanimity in malevolent climes.
― Tom Robbins, Still Life with Woodpecker
Below is the original photo used to create this image. This was taken at the Grand Canyon during the tail end of the sunset golden hour. The colors were glorious and I’m so pleased with the watercolor intensity. No special lighting or retouching, just a snap from my smart phone.