Sunset, Saturday, 3 April 2010

William Theodore Van Doren. Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 16 x 20.

Some of my reactions to the sunset aren’t necessarily what you might expect from a loyal and dedicated daily follower of the sky.

Like, “What! You mean it’s changing again!?”

This fit of consternation can be attributed largely to the amount of concentration it takes to ‘assemble’ a sky while observing it, in order to paint it. I had absorbed this one pretty completely a couple of times before it changed yet again. On top of everything else, it simply became more Easteresque, with the changes – I guess purple and gold relate to some sort of ecclesiastical association.

Before this, say what you may about crucifixions, Passovers, resurrections, Calvarys, hosannas, and so on, the day’s warmth, its streaked blue sky, pale green trees, yellow flowers and pink cherry blossoms were about as sweetly pastel as it gets here. Chalk it up to the Easter Bunny.