Thursday Stories " Just by Watching"

Because this is a new platform, I'd like to revisit an idea that I have written about in a previous post.

I have been a long-time Yankee fan, and so I have always gotten a kick out of the wit, and sometimes unwitting wisdom of Yogi Berra.
One of my favorite quotes is " You can observe a lot just by watching".
The same is just so true for painting.

Many of my late day, and nocturne paintings benefit from my practice of sitting out and just observing the light, and how it changes as the sun is near setting. The quality sometimes only lasts for just  a few short moments.





"Moon Rise, Night Fall" is a painting I did after having hiked, and really watched how the light was changing. I had done another version of this piece, but wanted to explore it further.
The last rays were hitting the tops of bare trees, as the long dusk shadows were encroaching.
The time of year was November, when the light is particularly rosy.
A wonderful occurrence is that the moon started rising as I was watching the show!
 By really observing what was happening, the mental notes stayed with me, and I was able to paint this version from photos in the studio more convincingly than if I had just snapped a few photos. This version was actually done several years after I went on that hike!

Sitting and watching is a practice I indulge in quite often. Of course, it all goes hand in hand with painting directly at times, also, but it is not always possible, especially when the effects are so short lived.
This painting is currently in a show, and available  at Sothby's Russ Lyon , in Sedona . the offices are open every day, if you are in the area. You may also contact me , if interested, christine@christinedebrosky.com

So go out and observe a lot!

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