Title: “The TEWT (Tactical Exercise Without Troops)”
Artist: Paul Riley
Size: 11″ x 14″
Medium: Watercolor on paper
Artist’s statement: This watercolor captures a moment of quiet tension in the desert landscape, where military personnel navigate the vast, unforgiving terrain. The piece explores themes of duty, isolation, and human presence against nature’s immensity. Through warm earth tones and careful attention to light, I sought to convey both the harsh beauty of the desert environment and the solitary nature of military service in remote locations.
Bio: LTC (Retired) Paul Riley is a contemporary watercolor artist specializing in evocative landscape and military-themed works. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences and observations of service life, Paul creates intimate portraits of human experience within expansive natural settings. His work explores themes of duty, landscape, and the relationship between individuals and their environment through the transparent medium of watercolor.