twilight explorations

oil on wood 5x3

 Each twilight I walk and memorize the summer glow. From the orangey pink glow immediately after sunset to the glowing green and blue as the light has disappeared, the glow in the sky is amazing. Finding the way to make that glow perplexes me. I try with pastel and I try with oil. I try different underpaintings and different over paintings. Simultaneous contrast  works here too. If you want light, place it next to dark. But what kind of light? And what about when the humidity is so thick it's soupy? And what about season and the feel of summer heat?

pastel  6x3

oil on wood 5x3

oil on wood 6x3

Funny thing about the sky is, it's everywhere and it's the same sky. I could be painting anywhere, it's which land is under the sky that identifies its location. I think that is pretty cool.  To strengthen that concept I simplified my trees even more, making it less of a place and more of an idea.

During my recent readings I came upon these two quotes:


"The sky is the source of light in Nature and it governs everything." (John Constable)

"Heavens, how charming it is! There is now in the sky only the soft vaporous color of pale citron - the last reflection of the sun which plunges into the dark blue of the night, going from green tones to a pale turquoise of an unheard-of fineness and a fluid delicacy quite indescribable... (Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot)