The Solace of Distance

“The Solace of Distance” captures that wonderful sense of tranquility you get when you're alone on a long road-trip in a remote area. When my husband and I travelled this open road, we often remarked on the mesmerizing light, the gentle sway of the desert grasses, and the way the colours would shift almost impossibly from one kilometre to the next.

Artistically, I was drawn in by the extraordinary light of this desert terrain. The composition uses the subtle drama of the 'golden hours'—that time when the low, warm sun intensifies the earth's colours and casts long shadows that really show off the texture of the land. Even though the distant mountains are beautiful at mid-day, they are transformed in late afternoon into spectacular tones of mauves, lilacs and ethereal blues. 

I used the strong linear perspective of the road to draw the viewer into the scene. The challenge was capturing the simultaneous feeling of immense scale and quiet intimacy. I built the foreground using heavier, drier brushwork to convey the dusty texture of the ground, contrasting sharply with the thin, almost transparent layers of cool colour used to achieve that atmospheric effect of distance and light.

May this canvas offer a daily moment of quiet escape, transporting you to a space where the world is calm and the light is unforgettable.