This minimalist composition is built on a series of horizontal layers. Textured sand fills the majority of the frame, meeting a thin strip of pale, empty sky at a high horizon line. A single clump of thin, pointed leaves sits to the right of the center, breaking the repetitive pattern of the ground. The viewpoint looks down at the desert floor, emphasizing the physical texture of the gypsum waves that the artist describes as a sea of sand.

The lighting creates a strong contrast between the pale surface and a dark, elongated shadow. This shadow stretches from the base of the plant toward the left edge of the frame, cutting across the ridges in the sand. While the plant appears in muted tones, the dark lines of its shadow and the rhythmic curves of the dunes dominate the lower two-thirds of the image. These elements provide a sense of scale within the vast, featureless environment of the New Mexico desert.