Original Watercolor Painting, “Plein Air, Sunrise, Lake Union From Westlake, Smoke, 9.9.22”, watercolor, 26 x 40”, 2022

It’s impossible to look at this piece and not remember the smoke over the city that day.  The colors are influenced not just by a typical sunrise, but altered because of particulates in the air from distant forest fires.  This piece was transitional as I was moving up in scale, only one of a few paintings made at the 26 x 40” scale before 30 x 42” papers became the norm for me.  Some of the optical effects of the sun and the glare on the water are the result of my vision breaking down from prolonged staring into the sun - first the disc becomes evident, then some of the brightness of the waters’ reflections become more dim than if they were just see fresh for the first time.  After a work like this, it is impossible not to feel refreshed by the effects of the sunlight entering my eyes, smoke and all.

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