Eclipsed by dead shadows

If it hadn’t been mentioned yesterday I doubt I would have known there was an eclipse today. But all the hype suggested that it would be worth it, so I thought I’d make sure I didn’t miss it. Fortunately for the East Midlands, it was a beautiful clear morning, and as I had breakfast I kept glancing out of the window, half expecting the blackout that had been promised. Day turns to night, and all that! Going outside with a mug of hot tea I could feel the cold in the air and wrapped up in a warm coat, and sat, watching and could feel it starting. It wasn’t an obvious thing, like day/night but a gradual sharpening and dulling of the shadows. You wouldn’t think shadows could become lifeless but they did. As an artist I’m so used to seeing colour in all things, from deep night, to white ceramics, there is always some bright spots of colour hidden there. Shadows have a life, and lots of colours within them. During the eclipse, which was maybe 50% where I was, the sky was still blue, the sun was still shining, but the air was colder, and the birds not quite so chirpy. But the shadows were lifeless. If I had been inside I probably wouldn’t have noticed it at all, it was only because I was looking, and take full notice that I could see it. Weird effect, and then slowly they came back to life again, and it was over.

Being a Leo I am ruled by the sun and love being in it, and looking at it, and feeling it on my skin. As an artist, I love painting it, and its motivational affect on its surroundings. Dappled sunshine through trees, sparkling brightly on  rivers, oceans, streams and pools of water, reflecting off windows and shiny surfaces, highlighting a landscape, and backlighting leaves and hair.

I love it!  And this painting of mine called “Azure shimmer” celebrates that love, beautifully I think.