When Evening Comes

“When Evening Comes”
Original. Acrylic. Matted & Framed.
11 x 9 inches

Listen to “When Evening Comes” here.

How did it get this title? In Yorkshire, the latitude is further north than in Minnesota, so the angle of light is different. As an island, Great Britain is surrounded by unique cloud cover. This also alters the quality of light as it dissipates. The rapeseed fields of most delightful yellow thrill my eyes–especially at the low light of sunset. That is the moment I see captured in this piece.

Something I love about this painting…EVERYTHING! THe yellow is exactly the yellow of my favourite fields. There’s an indigo-purple-blue situation in the top ⅔ of six scrapes of squares. I love the “sloppiness” of the twilight and how light and shadow interact with the progression of day into night.

“When Evening Comes”
A Poem By: Molly Ovenden
When evening comes…
Today’s fun must pause:
Resetting.
Returning.
Putting it all away.

When evening comes…
Night’s fears may threaten:
Swallowing.
Isolating.
Mocking insecurities stay.

When evening comes…
Resting Beauty winks indoors:
Basking.
Mesmerising.
Standing in awe, awake.

When Evening comes…
This moment’s choice to follow:
Seeking Truth.
Pursuing Life.
Holding Hope for Day when it’s Night,
Or choosing lesser that leaves one hollow–

When evening comes…
May there be pondering peace
And intentions of gratitude.

Try this:
Take a couple of slow breaths to become present in this moment and invite Holy Spirit to come while you observe this painting, “When Evening Comes.”

What do you notice about the textures the paint makes in this piece?

God, why am I drawn most to this particular type of texture?

Consider the descriptions alongside the piece–what the artist loves and where the title comes from: How does connecting with the artist through her words create meaning as you experience this painting?

God, where might I be longing for connection with someone in a relationship that has gone dark into the evening?