Arc of Heaven:
Oil Paintings of Skies

Suzanne Brooker

November 7^th thru December 30^th

^{Artist Reception November 18th, 3-5PM}

The sky is the curving arc of heaven: seamless, the airy realm of wind, daydreaming and space. I can recall vividly humid late summer afternoons christened with thunder showers that left the air hanging with moisture for the departing sun turned golden. If I hurried outside with my watercolor box, I could try to capture the light lingering on the clouds as the sky changed from scarlet to violet, each painting alive till the water dried on the paper.

It is one of our oldest instincts to know where the sun is in our sky, its life-giving energy is felt even when obscured by clouds. We march through the seasons by the pace of the sun and measure the length of a month with the reappearance of sister moon. At sunset we swoon with delight at the sublime beauty that fills the sky, the magical transformation from light to dark.

This small grouping of sky paintings presents studies of the fleeting elements that make up the drama of our sky-scapes from summery happy sky to the dramatic collision of stormy skies.

And here is what we be sampling along with the art:

2011 Domaine de Coujan    ($10)
Cépage Rolle
Vin de Pays Coteau de Murviel
100% Rolle from south France. Dry, full-bodied.

2010 Sainte Elisabeth    ($9)
Grenache
Costières de Nîmes
Predominantly Grenache, this southern French red has a jammy quality with rich aromas of red and black fruits, spice, and mineral.