“I’ll Tell You How the Sun Rose
a ribbon at a time.” - Emily Dickinson
Sunrise over the ocean often paints a breathtaking scene, where the sky unfurls like a canvas adorned with ribbons of colors—shades of pink, orange, and gold blending seamlessly. The water mirrors this spectacle, with gentle waves catching the light and scattering flecks of color across the surface, creating a mesmerizing, ever-changing display.
In my minds eye, my favorite moment of a rising or setting sun…is the moment when the sun sits just below the horizon. That brief few seconds of “don’t blink”.
After a recent class in the Insiders Studio, knowing that this would be a “summer project”, I picked my panels and got down to business. Slow and cathartic.
Mix, mix, mix, of the palettes of blues and greens of the ocean.
Dash, dash, dash, swoop, swoop, swoop, dot, dot, dot of the varied brushes.
It was mindful. It was intense. So much of the process slowwwed you down and forced you to stay with the rhythm if you accepted the challenge. Engaging your brain to think about the depths of the water and how reflections play of the rising light.
The Poem with the Ribbon
Emily Dickinson compares the sunrise to ribbons as she describes the slow and gradual appearance of the sun in the sky. In her poem "A Day," she vividly explains how the sun rises, describing its colors as a ribbon appearing one at a time.
A Day
By Emily Dickinson
I’ll tell you how the sun rose, —
A ribbon at a time.
The steeples swam in amethyst,
The news like squirrels ran.
The hills untied their bonnets,
The bobolinks begun.
Then I said softly to myself,
“That must have been the sun!”
But how he set, I know not.
There seemed a purple stile
Which little yellow boys and girls
Were climbing all the while
Till when they reached the other side,
A dominie in gray
Put gently up the evening bars,
And led the flock away.
It is too subtle to notice at first, but it gradually becomes visible, bringing the gift of daylight to the world. Dickinson’s use of the imagery of ribbons captivated me as the sun rises like a ribbon with great care and in an organized manner. The ribbons are all joined and go on to form a beautiful fabric, just like the sun’s rays seem to merge together to form a beautiful sunrise. It's a stunning and colorful display of nature's wonder that happens each day. Overall, the imagery of ribbons adds a sense of delicacy and grace to the sunrise, making it a beautiful and awe-inspiring sight.
My Ribbons of Light Find Their Place on the Water
This painting is a diptych, on two canvas panels. It is comprised of the initial two tones of the under layer, the butter cream and blue gray. From there the build up of layers began. Dark to light, larger stroke to smaller stroke. I lost track of the number of layers but I will guess at least 20. I would walk away , squint, play with the lighting and tweak the layers a little more. I was looking for the tonal depths, sparkle of foam and the final ribbons of color.
Happy Summer and Happy Ribbons of Light.
Do you have a favorite body of water? Please let me and other readers know. Leave a comment below. An artist friend and I spoke recently of the beauty of the Canadian Glacial Lakes. Their color is unto themselves. I wrote recently about this in a piece and discussed some of my favorite bodies of water…colors. Pushing Me Into Color.
🏝️🏝️This painting will soon be for sale. If you are interested, please contact me for more information. 🏝️🏝️
“Every Artist Was First An Amateur” will be on a short August break, returning on September 1. In the mean time, I will be sharing some of my stories that readers loved the most from the past year.
