Fresh Off The Easel
“A Heavenly Dance” is a 24×36″ original oil on canvas fresh off the easel in my studio. The desert sunsets in Arizona are the most beautiful sunsets in the world, especially this time of year. As an artist, I’m drawn to the amazing colors and spectacular cloud formations.
Why?
If you’ve seen an one of the Arizona sunsets that we experience on nearly a daily basis, you may have wondered why it is more spectacular and colorful than other places in the world. There are some factors about the desert that make them possible.
- First, we have very clear sky’s, meaning very few clouds. So, our views are not obstructed as they are in places that have cloudy, grey, gloomy days. This is the place the song speaks of: “Where the sky’s are not cloudy all day.” And our sky’s are very “blue”.
- Which leads to the 2nd reason: the wavelength of blue light is short and it scatters when it encounters atmospheric molecules. Pollution and humidity mute the sunsets in most places. Because our climate is so clean and dry those things don’t effect our skies. You may have heard the phrase “It’s A Dry Heat”. The climate in the desert is very dry (and hot). During the evening when the sun is setting the atmospheric molecules increase. Allowing colors with longer wavelengths, like orange and red, to work its way through. Thus the spectacular showcase of color.
- Third, the clouds that do build during the monsoons in Arizona catch light as it filters through and reflects it back to our eyes against the darker evening skies. Making it very dramatic.
- Fourth, Arizona is dusty. The dust particles in the air make the sunsets light up like fire, more reds than most places. In fact when it’s a windy dusty day, I try to get out in the early evening and prepare to get reference material for painting. The dusty air in Arizona can be a pain, but it’s part of the price of the incredible beauty we get to experience in the desert.