The Kannally House

A couple of years ago I was in Tucson, AZ for a show and to paint for a couple of days. It was January and cold here in Colorado. Unfortunately, the 10 days I spent in Tucson it never got above 45, with blustry cold winds and showers. I was glad to get back home. I did get a couple of pretty nice paintings done however and met some really nice people.

This painting is of the Kannally House in Oracle State Park in the Catalina Mountains near Tucson. It is a 9x12 oil painting I did on location one very cold morning. The morning sun was a welcome that day. While doing the painting, the State Park Ranger came out to see what I was up to. He invited me to come up to the house when I was finished for a tour.

It seems the Kannallys were a family of 5 siblings none of whom had any heirs of their own other than each other. As one would die, he/she would leave their interest in the place to the remaining sibs. When the last one died she left the place to the State of Arizona for a park. Originally the ranch was some 40,000 acres. By the time it was left for the State it consisted of 4,000 which comprises the Oracle State Park.

The architecture of the house was quite facinating. It is of a Mediteranian/Moorish style, built into the side of a hill to take advantage of the cooling effect. To help ventilate the place, the rooms were all built around a "cooling" tower which drafted the hot air out and the cool air in. This tower can be seen in the center of the painting next to the tree in the courtyard. Neat place. This painting has sold. Thank you.