“Twilight Drama” is based on a view from Point Atkinson Lighthouse Park in British Columbia, one of my favourite spots to visit and paint. While the lighthouse is an iconic feature, my focus here was on the rock; its texture, shape, and the way it catches light. It's a place full of life; I've seen bald eagles, seals, and even orcas moving through in the spring. The lighthouse sits quietly in the background, but the land and coastline truly define this scene for me.
This canvas focuses on the moments just as day transitions into night and the light turns really rich. The granite rock formations that dominate the foreground glow with a burnt orange under the setting sun. This deep, saturated warmth contrasts with the cool, deep cobalt and ultramarine blues of the ocean and the darkening sky.
The sky itself is a central feature of this interpretation. Opulent clouds catch the final rays of sunlight with hues of gold and peach along the horizon, while the rest of the atmosphere deepens into a rich, moody cerulean and indigo. I hope you find that the deliberate contrast between the vibrant foreground and the dramatic sky creates a powerful sense of depth and impending night.
In my process for this piece, I focused on layering cool and warm pigments to achieve a sense of raw energy and profound contrast. I used an energetic, expressive application on the rocks to convey their formidable scale, while keeping the water's surface relatively smooth to enhance the feeling of its massive volume and cool stillness. It is a visual celebration of the magnificence of British Columbia's coastal nature, inviting you to pause and absorb the grand scale of this iconic Canadian landscape.