Mountains of Medina: Golden Light by Marilyn Wells

12” x 18” 

watercolor mounted on basswood panel, 1.5” deep

so hard to conquer
mountain’s majestic soaring
beyond our knowing

— mw, 5.28.26

The mountains of Medina hold a sacred presence in the heart and imagination of many who know them. In this watercolor, golden ochre, soft violet, and luminous washes suggest a landscape both earthly and spiritual — a place remembered not only through sight, but through reverence.

Layered ridges rise and recede in quiet rhythm, evoking distance, stillness, and the mystery of mountains that have watched over human lives for centuries. The painting honors the way a beloved landscape can become more than place: it can become memory, prayer, longing, and home.

This work is inspired by the spare strength of sumi-e brushwork and by my long devotion to watercolor. Through color, water, and gesture, the painting seeks to express the enduring majesty of mountains and the deep feeling they awaken in those who hold them sacred.