[^ When Day and Evening Meet. 12.22.12. 2012. plein air watercolor. 7 x 10". © Bullock Online 2013]
"Hesperus! the evening mild
Falls round us soft and sweet,
'Tis like the breathings of a child
When day and evening meet."
- John Clare (1793-1864)
These short, cold, gray woolen days often end in an explosion of light and color which seem almost absurdly cliché and unreal, like a massive Lite Brite on full power. They are really amazing. With an unimpeded view of where the Hudson meets the East River, I get the full effect and aim only to accurately set down the scene before me, at least for the purposes of this --- plein air painting, which is exactly what it sounds like: direct, truthful, unadorned observation and a simple, straightforward representation of the outdoors and the effect of natural light. Yet, afterward, I often look at what I painted and say "this is too much".
(January/February, 2013)
