A cienega is a spring that is usually a wet, marshy area at the foot of a mountain, in a canyon, or on the edge of a grassland where groundwater bubbles to the surface, commonly referred to as an oasis if observed in a desert. Often, a cienega does not drain into a stream, but evaporates, forming a small playa. This piece represents the intense blues that can sometimes be found in the desolate tan deserts of the southwestern United States.