Day is Done

Sunset at Pibernet

Photo: Lesley Powell

What better way to end my series of posts on the recent workshop in Provence than with a sunset motif. One evening we had quite a treat--we went out on location in the afternoon, and our hosts packed us a picnic dinner so we could stay in the field until after sunset, and paint in the last light of day. Gorgeous!

The afternoon session found many of us painting the vineyards and nearby houses. Donna Thomas, our workshop coordinator, had one of my favorite paintings of the afternoon. I loved the geometry of it and the movement of the lines. Wish I had a better photo of this one.

(c) Donna Thomas

The real excitement came after the picnic, as the sun began to set. We had intended to do some landscape work when the shadows were long, but we waited a bit too late, and lost the sun before we could get too far underway. The ever-resourceful Roy Williamson was not to be defeated. Since we could not see the colors, he did this fine drawing of a house at the foot of the Luberon range:

(c) Roy Williamson

With the sun sinking fast, some of us decided to tackle a sunset motif. I have talked a lot about the need for plein air painters to be quick, and the sunset tests anybody's speed. The light changes almost second by second, and so do the colors of the land and sky. Not a moment to waste!

My sunset painting is quite small (I thought that working small would give me a leg up on the timing considerations). Even though the canvas is not very large, I believe that I captured the feeling of being in the valley on a summer's night, at the last light:

"Pibernet Sunset"

The notion of painting a sunset captured th imaginations of several people in our group, and the theme was continued the next night from our home base at Les Bassacs. As Maggie remarked, sunsets are an opportunity to see "outrageous" colors in the landscape that you cannot see at any other time. I did two more sunset paintings, pictured below. If these paintings are still available, look for them to be part of my annual Small Gems benefit sale that launches in November.

"Sunset I"
5 x 7 

"Sunset II"
6 x 9
SOLD

And so the sun sets on our wonderful workshop in Provence. Many wonderful memories, new friends, and great new approaches to incorporate in our painting going forward. I am eager for next year!