Flaming skies

   The summer of 1815  there was no summer, winter passed into a period of cold from which even in Europe it snowed, and passed again back into winter. No birds sang, the sky was dark, streaked with red, and the sun did not shine strongly enough to create warmth. This was the year the Tambora volcano erupted in Indonesia, creating a blanket of ash so thick that it literally blocked out the sun. It was also the year that Turner painted his now famous, almost fantastic red sunsets.

  Cotton candy pink, periwinkle blue- Coral, the Pantone color for 2019. The skies have been spectacular this past week. The glow cast by the rose tones bathes the buildings in a light that changes them, making them appear freshly painted in softer colors. And then just before the sun sets it blazes in the most brilliant of corals and yellows.

  This brightness reminds me of the colors we saw at my brother in law's house last Christmas. His family has a home which has that rare quality of combining the modern glass box with traditional elements in a way that is at once light and airy while remaining immensely cozy. Old doors, high ceilings, and wood floors make it warm while the glass walls of the living room allow you to stand as near to outside as you want to be when the temperatures are well below freezing. Standing there in the living room looking out I enjoyed these same brilliant colors as the sunset. The room glowed an orange-pink.

   The other day, returning from a walk, I pulled out a few photos I had taken and decided to do a small watercolor. Nothing spectacular, just a few pieces of grass and the odd branch, just enough to highlight the last glow of the sunset. This is what I am working on at the moment. It should be done in a few days, by next Monday at the latest, since I tend not to get much work done on Weekends when everyone is home. Keep your eye on Instagram to see the finished product.

   Have you had especially beautiful or unique skies and sunsets where you live? Do you like to paint sunsets or do you prefer blue skies? Let me know in the comments.

While the eruption of 1815 caused painters to observe reds and greens at the horizon line, the colors I have been witnessing this week are usually further up in the sky. And there is no green, only light candy colors. They remain there until the sun actually sets.



 To get posts as soon as they are published click on the subscribe button at the top of the page or Follow by clicking on the follow button.  



Update:
  And here is the final work: