Don’t Know What You’ve Got ‘Til It’s Gone

Summer | Midday | Utah Desert | 11×14

Utah’s famous Monument Valley buttes rise majestically in this desert landscape painting, rendered in warm summer tones under the brilliant midday sun. This iconic southwestern scene serves as a powerful reminder of what nearly slipped away when politicians threatened to sell our public lands. The stark beauty of these desert monuments, painted by hand in gouache, represents the irreplaceable natural heritage we must protect—because you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.

Utah resident, photographer, and member of the Diné tribe Mylo Fowler beautifully captures the sacred nature of this landscape and what it means to him: “The land breathes, gives and provides. The sand dunes move, the tree’s sway and the moisture falls. When I think of Monument Valley, many thoughts come to mind. Most of all, it was here that my raison d’être began.
I knew at some point in my lifetime I’d cross the paths with the reason I was born. My great grandmother taught that “We are each other’s medicine.” My medicine men grandparents taught that we all have a purpose and for that, we were created. My maternal and paternal grandparents rarely met each other yet they all taught me in their own words “May you learn while you are young why you were born. May you learn in your youth why you were created.” From the dirt, my dreams are blossoming and the battle to make decisions continues every day. For now, these photographs remind me of how much inspiration can happen while simply sitting on some good ol’ red dirt.”

This painting honors both the land itself and the indigenous peoples for whom Monument Valley holds deep cultural and spiritual significance.

Title of Piece based off the song: Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell
Quote from Mylo shared with permission.