#0808 "Valdy Sunset"

I just finished spending an evening with Valdy and Kathleen at their shared cottage in Southampton. I had dropped off a couple of jars of Chadwick Honey. We watched the sun go down together. Valdy autographed a new CD for Linda and I - I didn't ask but was very appreciative. They wanted me to stay for a late supper but I didn't want to impose. As I was driving away, I couldn't resist the sunset.

Some very nice people helped me to locate the right cottage. It was harder than it should have been to find the old cottage near the tennis club. I had met Valdy earlier in the Library and he had invited me over when I told him the honey story. All of these people are very, very nice! I was spending some time in Southampton as the first artist in residence for the Art School. I had some classes to teach as well as a few presentations. It was quite the experience.

The Southampton sunsets across Lake Huron are fabled and deservedly so. The bands of cirrostratus stretching with the deformation zone were back lit by orange light. All of the shorter wavelengths from the direct beam from the sun had been Rayleigh scattered out of light. The long path of that light through the atmosphere of the Great Lakes creates something very special. The same light reflected off the gentle swells of the inland sea. In this case I just had to paint it.

I used some orange pigments that I purchased from my mentor and friend Mario Airomi dating back to 1967. The paint was still perfect and I use the rich pigment sparingly.

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