FIRE IN THE SKY (a new series)

 

 

GARRAPATA SUNSET

FIRE IN THE SKY a new series.  Many of the places I have lived have particularly dramatic sunsets and sunrises. When I lived in Key West in the early 70's the entire island would meet down at Old Mallory Square to watch the sunset, play music, and watch the dolphins who came to watch us. The sunsets there were unforgettable.  New Mexico and Arizona are also famous, rightly so, for the spectacular pyrotechnic lightshows that mark the end of the day there. I've spent many years in both places and been awed by hundreds of such nightly displays. Whenever I travel through Tucson, I camp out in the hills outside of town. I often spend those evenings watching a glorious sunset as a backdrop to the saguaro cactus and the lights of Tucson below. Hawaii is another place I called home for many years, where rainbow filled days transform into gorgeous sunsets and sometimes, Moonbows.                                      Big Sur,  is another locale with impossibly beautiful sunsets. During the last supermoon eclipse, my neighbors who live on Clear Ridge, gathered at the top of the ridge to drink wine and watch the eclipse. The top of the ridge is just up behind my microhouse, so it was just a short hike up the hill to join the festivities. From the top, one has a 360 degree panoramic view of the Big Sur coast. It was absolutely ablaze on that night. The color changes and special effects seemed to go on for hours. It isn't really possible to set up an easel and paint it, it changes constantly anyway. Photos don't really quite capture the hugeness of it either...so I just turn on the "record" button in my head and watch...hoping to retain some of what I'm watching. When I get back to the easel I call back some of those impressions and attempt to bring them to life. It's a lot to work with and the challenge of capturing some of that magic on my easel is a never-ending journey. These 8"x10" paintings on canvas are the first of a new series which are my impressions of some of the dramatic skies I have witnessed.  These original paintings are available for $60 each plus shipping.  Please message me at barryhowardstudio@yahoo.com or on my Facebook page if you are interested. Thank you for following my work.