Framed Oil painting 12 × 24 Oil on board

Golden Hour on the Marsh ~ Capturing the fleeting colors of evening light!

The cooler temps of fall had already browned up much of the tall spartina grass in the marsh, but some of the vibrant summer greens still remained. Fall is a pretty time of year in the Lowcountry, around Charleston, especially when the sun is setting with a dramatic sky.

I was fortunate to have arrived upon this scene just in the nick of time. The golden hour was still casting a warm glow over the marsh. The cloud formations were changing by the minute. Darkness was setting in, but for a moment in time I was awestruck by the colorful palette in front of me.

There is a serenity that I get from experiencing the natural beauty of the Lowcountry. It’s so peaceful, with only the ebb and flow of the shallow waters traveling so slowly as to go unnoticed.

Once the sun receded and the evening glow had dimmed, it was time to head back home. The marsh at night changes from a quiet solitude to almost eerie. A battalion of skeeters came out to let me know that I was no longer welcome.

I enjoyed working with a warm, colorful palette. I found the formation of the water winding around small islands of spartina grass interesting, along with the backdrop of scraggly old trees. I also like the way the water spills into the foreground, reaching the end of its journey.

Of course the colorful, dramatic sky and reflections in the water helped inspire this painting.