Original Watercolor Painting, “Plein Air, 8-9:30pm, Rain and Sunset on Peet’s Hill, 5 of 6, 7.22.26”, watercolor on paper, 11 x 14”, 2026.

This piece was made outside from life as part of Plein Air Montana 2026, in Bozeman, MT.  As I worked, expecting the sky to darken and the rain to obscure the sunset colors further, the opposite occurred.  The colors in this painting appear to be exaggerated or maybe invented - but I assure you (and the people who were standing side-by-side or under my rain tent while I worked on this will remember), if anything, these colors are dramatically less intense and less chromatic than was the reality.  It was spellbinding.  This piece was painted extremely quickly, maybe in ten minutes or less, as I knew this effect with the darker clouds and the glowing gold beyond, outrageous pinks, would last only for a few minutes.  From the elevated vantage point of Peet’s Hill, all of Bozeman is visible, as well as the valley running out before you as far as the eye can see.  It is my favorite place to paint in Bozeman, perhaps other than Main Street.  This piece was enjoyable to make - the 5th of the eventual six pieces made during that same 90-minute session, made in a furious dash, a representational race to finish before the effect vanished.  The effect of raindrops are visible on the piece.

This painting ships unframed to anywhere in the USA.  For international shipping, please reach out to david@DavidOSmithArtist.com to coordinate.