Something caught my eye out the west window as I was sitting on my chaise, like a magnet drawn towards the luminous pink and orange light peaking through cedars. I then glanced over towards the light on the field coming over the knoll and that was all I needed to make my way out the door along the shovelled footpath to take my reference photo of the moment. Sundown and I have been establishing a deep connection, a day doesn’t go by without noticing the effects of the changing sunlight on the landscape. With deep snow drifts I haven’t been able to walk to the field without snowshoes. Today I was interested in the view through the trees looking north out at the field and the light coming over the knoll from the left. A bucolic moment with sundown in the countryside inspired, ‘Winter Trees At Sundown’.
Curiosity is a good word to describe the relationship I have been developing with my surroundings. I find myself particularly drawn to the open space that surrounds me, a refreshing breath of fresh air, quiet stillness and space for good living. Letting curiosity lead my everyday I have become curious how light and colour naturally fills the expansiveness. What does this look like? How does it differ from day to day? What does this offer for a composition my paintings?
Exploring light in painting through colour particularly with much darkness in the world being drawn to light, is a good thing. I recently observed that I have been capturing the landscape during sunrise and sundown often, both of these times in the day when light and colour are remarkable. I was captivated by glow on the surface of the snow and the light cascading over the cut cornstalks and how the light on the landscape is ever changing and breathtaking. This painting is an example of being drawn outdoors at sundown, something that happens often.
Jane Holden Art 