Fleeting beauty

Posting paintings this week feels a little pointless. It has been dark, horrifying, infuriating. But ultimately, it is a profoundly sad moment.

These three paintings – two executed at sunset late Saturday afternoon, and the third painted as snow began to melt from the tree branches early Monday morning – tackle momentary effects. The subject matter’s beauty is bound inextricably to its transience. I often talk myself out of even trying to capture such moments since frustration seems guaranteed. However, I am usually glad I tried. Defeatism is never rewarding – a simple truth that seems particularly important right now.