The sunsets from our new place were amazing this summer! Well, it’s winter now yet the vibrant skies are still etched in my memory. I decided to do a series of small oil paintings based on photos taken from near our house in Prescott Valley. Most of the paintings feature Granite Mountain, a prominent landmark in the Prescott Area and a favorite hiking and biking place for many locals. We are fortunate to have this big view from our front yard, which is primarily in part to a large open field just one house down from us. Also, what makes our sunsets so great are the summer monsoon rains. The display of clouds and stray evening showers never stopped to amaze. Our two year old son Skyler became intrigued as well and would comment that the sun was going down as the day approached sunset time. So, I decided to do a number of 8×10 paintings to capture some of the best skies from last summer and focus on color and drama. All paintings are completed with a palette knife. I enjoyed the loose, free quality of the paint when using a palette knife, which resembles a mini cement trowel. As I set up the painting, I wanted to portray the mood of the sunset with contrast of colors and light. Here are the eight paintings from this series:
“Summer Sunset I” – A bold impression of a big sky of scattered clouds and a sinking sun behind Granite Mountain.
“Summer Sunset II” – A light and airy portrayal of wispy clouds in front of a golden sun.
“Summer Sunset III” – The sun filtered through distant rain clouds, creating a golden haze and shadowed Granite Mountain and high clouds.
“Summer Sunset IV”- The sun glows warmly through a break in the clouds.
“Stray Shower” – This is the only painting excluding Granite Mountain in the background, however I was inspired to paint this rain shower illuminated in pink. This painting also features neighborhood and church steeple in the north part of Prescott Valley.
“Summer Sunset V” – This painting generates fond memories of my wife and son hiking through the open field for a better view of the sunset. I can hear my son saying “sun down”.
“Summer Sunset VI” – This piece conveys summer with warmth and vibrancy. The open field has turned green from regular rain showers.
“Summer Sunset VII” – This is a dark, dramatic representation of a day with heavy storm clouds, yet the sun managed to make a grand exit through a gap in the clouds.
We are looking forward another round of summer sunsets next year!