Fall Reflections
12" X 6"
Acrylic on Canvas
I returned riverside to capture the Red Cliffs in the lowering sun. In my last painting session there, the afternoon light and shadows caught my eye and I made a mental note to return to the same spot. I was eager to put paint to canvas when I arrived.
Though the river at my back flowed effortlessly, things
weren’t moving as well with the painting. I struggled with the angle I’d
chosen, fighting to find the right shapes and values. The afternoon grew
surprisingly hot and I could genuinely use the excuse “the sun was in my eyes”,
because as I struggled with light, shadows, and glare—on and off the canvas—the
sun marched over my left shoulder and into my eyes.
Finally, I moved into the
shade, next to the river where I got a clear look at the mess I’d made and began
pondering my next step. Something wasn’t quite right. Later, when I showed the painting
to Clint, he pointed out the resemblance of the rock folds to a female body
part. Since then, that’s all I see when I look at it. Consequently, the painting has been relegated to
the “do-over” pile.
I was nearly out of day as I daydreamed to the gurgle of the
river and gathered up my brushes. I looked out over the river, struck by the foliage
along the far shore glowing gold, orange, and lemon yellow in the last light of
the sun. The brilliant reflections in the water flamed against the encroaching mossy-black
shadows of the coming evening.
I knew I didn’t have
much time—I grabbed another canvas, quickly squirted out a few more colors onto
my palette, and got to work. I painted until the sun dipped behind the ridge. The
vivid colors gave way to soft edges and muted tones as the sky cooled to
twilight.
