It’s been busy in my studio lately and that’s a good thing! I’ve been working on a sunrise that was loosely based on a photograph taken in South Africa by Henry Harold Blignaut of pmp). It was one of those scenes I immediately fell in love with and I knew would become part of my sunset series, now called sunset/sunrise.
Normally I paint oil pastels in 11 x 14 or smaller, but the scene was perfect for a larger version so 16×20 it was. I couldn’t believe how many layers of paint was laid down, but some 19 hours later my last piece for the sunset/sunrise series is complete (well at least for now!) and all is well.
Another subject is calling my attention, LOL. I hope you enjoy the quiet view, all my best ~ Mary
Sunrise, Quiet Essence
Oil Pastels by Mary 
Awesome Capture I love it ❤
Thank you Parth893, I appreciate your comment!
Love it, Mary! Great colors and composition! Great job!
Thank you so much, I appreciate hearing from you!
Really nice painting!
Thank you Sergey so much for your wonderful comment!
Wow, great painting !
The sea is beautiful and I also like the depth in your painting !!!
Hi Petronette – so nice to hear from you, hope you are well. Would love to see your work.
Thank you for your wonderful comments on Quiet Essence, this was a fantastic scene to paint. Thanks for noticing the depth.
You HAVE captured the essence. Beautiful.
Thank you so much Elena for your lovely comment!
amazing work! are you exhausted or full of energy when you finish? i am usually exhausted, but long ago i would find myself on a high. odd that i no longer get that high… maybe i keep a good dose of those endorphins at all times now? a
Interesting question, all depends but most times I’m exhausted. I think it’s because I get so focused while painting, it saps my energy big-time – it’s physical and emotional for me. Although and I was going to post something on the blog about this – when I’m painting the sky or some serious waves I’ll all of a sudden experience a feeling sort of like a runner’s high. Maybe Z you might consider changing up the subject, method, medium, where you paint or how – in otherwords make it new for your mind, so it will engage in a different way. Does that make sense?
that does make sense.. in fact, when i first started the mola series, which was like a tidal wave washing over me, i was all but addicted.. it continues to evolve – it surprises me a lot and it has definitely gotten its own voice.. i’m just the person who applies the paint!!!
sometimes when i am really exhausted, i step back and look at the painting and see the energy.. then i think/realize that there’s a transfer – a nobrainer of an explanation as to where my energy went.. it went into the painting, so i have to stop and recharge the batteries.
i also get spurts of really high energy days or hours before a strong storm. when those times hit, i think, ‘uh oh.. better prepare for a storm.’ almost always that happens. the timing is strange too, as i will put down the brush, and almost always, the rain starts at that point.. and i have no more interest in painting..
Lovely! It’s so real and inviting. Hmmm, I might have to add South Africa to my travels.
The original photograph was so unbelievable, Henry is a wonderful photographer. Thanks Cyndi – it was a great scene to paint and man did it chew through a lot of oil pastel.
Hi Mary, looks like I’m about to go back to sea…wonderful job…Bob
Thank you Bob, that means a lot that you’ve commented – I could resist laying down a little oil pastel for this scene. Hope you’re well. Mary
Love it! Beautiful! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your comments, it was nice to hear from you. Mary
Awesome sunrise, Mary. So peaceful…
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your comments! I’m so glad you feel a sense of peace w/this scene~ Mary
Gorgeous one!!!
Thank you Rexlin so much for your comment.
Very beautiful, Mary. A halcyon sky, with limpid streaks of jovial light. It is the most serene of your sunscapes, and the one I like best.
(perhaps bigger is better!)
Thank you so much Ariel’s Prospero. I really appreciate what you had to say – such a compliment, thank you! The scene called for a more subdued palette, so of course I had to oblige.