www.patriciasgordon.com

"The Brightness in the Dark," oil on linen panel, 6x6" (sold)

I love painting pieces like this one, which came together easily in the studio.  I am thankful when such a scene arises before me in a place where I can stop and get a reference photo, holding the breathtaking beauty of the scene within me until I have an opportunity to paint it.

Sometimes the world stops me in my tracks, and I know I want to capture what I see - not just because of what is before me, which is beautiful in itself, but because I am further compelled to express my feeling in that moment.  The sky was dark and expressive and a few well rounded clouds were intensely lit up by the setting sun.

Moments like this one define why I became a painter of landscapes.  Not only am I capturing a lovely scene in nature but I am also encapsulating what I feel - that there is always a brightness in the world, even within the darkest moments.  And without the dark, we would not see and fully appreciate the intensity of the light.