Another theme I keep coming back to. Something about that particular time of the day, and the solitude of open spaces. It is a particular feeling that is difficult to explain when one is surrounded by the expanse of a marsh at twilight. I know I'll keep painting it again and again - hopefully one day I will be able to encapsulate all my feelings in one painting. This oil on canvasboard is 12 x 9 inches (30 x 23cm).
In winter, I stood by the shore looking out across a bay near the headwaters of the Chesapeake. It was windy and cold but the sun began breaking through the clouds. Earlier, I had noticed a small party of Buffleheads further offshore and now nearby me were a few more. Mostly males, they began chasing a single female. There was a lot of splashing about as one male challenged another during their courtship, then they would all take off and shortly land again suddenly diving underwater. When they surfaced, some sped across the water creating a series of foamy furrows before diving again. I heard one or two of them calling a low rek rek, their bills held only slightly open with the head held stiffly upright. Eventually they moved further offshore but I managed a quick painting of one of the males in flight.
Later where it was calmer, another male posed in brighter light which brought out the iridescence on its head. Ranging from yellowish through purple, deep blue and greenish-black, I tried to capture this in my painting - difficult in watercolor but this study will do for now. Size of each is about 6 x 8 in.
Continuing with an evening theme here, I did this painting from something I saw a while time ago. An evening walk took us past a large field then on through a small community where deer often browsed. Our destination was a small dock alongside a tidal river and we would sit for awhile as the sun set over the marsh behind us. This pine was the last tree before the flowing marsh grasses ran out to the barrier islands and often a pair of eagles would sit there looking out while darkness fell. I tried to capture the moment in this smaller study - hopefully a larger one will follow. Size is 8 x 9 in, watercolor on paper.
Guard Shore, late December. I was sitting quietly and peacefully at the shore watching the dusk descend. The place was deserted and I was thankful for it! I could hear chip chip calls from sparrows that lurked in the marsh grasses nearby, the taller strands of grass waved in the chilly breeze. Behind me, a high whistling from a Surf Scoter's wings as it took to the air and flew deeper into the bay. A few had been feeding just offshore, diving then reappearing to bounce up and down in the choppy water. As the night drew in across the marsh, the sky took on an intense yellow that slowly deepened to blood-red before finally fading to black. It was an experience to cherish and I tried to capture my feeling for that evening in this painting. Size is 9 x 12 in (23 x 30 cm). Oil on canvas.
