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To catch rare sights and paint the unseen. Landscape oil painting colorful nature scenes.

Writer's picture: Sandy BridgewaterSandy Bridgewater

As I was walking into an art event, I was running a little late because I drove slow and took photos of the amazing mountain range. That for the first time in months, was clear enough to see in great detail, how close and large it really is.  Then the alpine glow began with the sunset, it was so beautifully orange on the peaks.  

As I arrived and started walking a little fast so I didn’t get into the event too too late, I noticed the sun set, with this amazing cotton candy mixture of blue, orange, pink and gold in the sky and started dragging my feet.  Oh how I wanted to veer off the path and go chase the sunset colors and find a cool tree or scene to at least take some photos.  But then I noticed while walking behind a bunch of people going to the art event, that I was the only one in awe and noticing the amazing sights nature was giving all around us that were much more beautiful than any art I thought, that was exhibiting.  Why was I the only one noticing and transfixed by the rare sight of beauty??

I wonder if theres like a visual sensitivity muscle you have to exercise to be able to take in the tiny fleeting natural sights. Even though I got a clear western sky view of high altitude vibrantly colorful sunsets filling the sky almost nightly throughout the year, I still would stop and take more photos of one the next night etc. Just recently alot of us saw the mega geomagnetic storm northern lights starbursting greens, pink, and purple designs in the sky and I sometimes think, meh, I caught it so amazing why would I care to go out at 3am on a -20* morning to catch them again someday? But I know each time you see these amazing natural wonders its different and better and so worth it.

Maybe on a normal basis, we are just so programmed to pay attention to our schedules and what is directly in front of us on the to do list only. So then these fleeting moments of awe are missed easily then. This is why I paint these seemingly unrealistic colored scenes. My interpretations of how I experienced the sights. I often plein air paint but even then, this magical filter comes over the canvas to create a more painterly fantastical view adding vibrancy and emotion into the landscape. Heres a couple landscape oil paintings of colorful nature scenes I caught below.  Just in case you missed these beautiful things that I see, I've captured that bit of magic and painted my version of it for you!


landscape oil painting seascape sailboat at sunset Pacific Northwest colorful western art for sale

A beautiful sunset over the water and last docks at the marina.  This scene was from the ferry boat to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. While navigating through a sheltered cove leading out to the open ocean and islands beyond.  The contrasting landscape of the distant mountains, rocky islands, and tall trees with the flat ocean horizon beyond. I was exploring all my favorite elements with this painting, adding the textured oil painting with the natural trees and rocks, and the vibrant sunset sky reflecting off the smooth surface of the ocean water. To have boats and mountains and sunsets in a painting was so fun for me. I hope to inspire an exciting sense of adventure with seeing the beauty of different places.

colorful ocean sunset landscape fine art oil painting for sale Pacific Northwest colorful art for sale

Opportunity is always in the timing, here's a 10 minute window of awe. Tofino, Vancouver Island.


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