Big Sky

"Big Sky " - charcoal and acrylic on Arches 300 lb watercolor paper, 30" x 22". Available here and at Artfinder.

That cloud, that cloud--
Looks like Ireland.
C'mon and blow it a kiss now
But quick
'Cause it's changing in the Big Sky
It's changing in the Big Sky now.
We're looking at the Big Sky.
from Big Sky by Kate Bush

The hiking skies have been dazzling lately. It might be their penchant to blossom before big storms, or maybe it is just the art gods smiling down and providing photo inspiration for me. Either way, I've been lucky enough to stand under some big skies.

Big Sky

Whether it is a big sky over the ocean or a big sky on top of a mountain, my heart leaps and my eyes widen and I have to stop and ogle. The thing about skies is - they change in a second. The sunlight shifts, the clouds morph and move, the mists overcome the light...you have a second to capture that image. Or an hour to stand slack-jawed and just watch its splendor. It is the cure for many things, these big skies. Go out there and get one for yourself. Let me know what you see. :)

About the art: using an inspiration photo turned into a notan from a recent hike, I decided to apply the 3 min gesture/5 min shadow paint technique I used in figures recently to an abstracted landscape. This portion is captured in the GoPro video (left). Then using a limited palette and building big sky and sea. Painting with brushes, damp and paint-laden bunched up paper towels, rubber wedge, squeegee and fingers. Liberal use of water spray.. Pushing and pulling lights and darks until...well, until the tension was resolved. I am feeling much less tense now. ha ha!