Texas Twilight

Although we’re blessed with an abundance of beautiful sunsets in Alaska, my travels to Texas over the last few years has introduced me to a different kind of evening spectacle: the Texas sunset. I have found myself fascinated by these sunsets and the first time I saw one I knew that I wanted to paint one. Although similar in some ways to our Alaska sunsets, they offer a quiet contrast to the dramatic mountain backdrops that often are illuminated by the setting sun in Alaska.

Instead of towering peaks, the sunset depicted in Texas Twilight is defined by wide open fields and distant tree lines stretching across the horizon. The land itself feels expansive and unassuming, allowing the setting sun to take center stage. As the sun sets, the horizon often burns with intense brightness, while scattered clouds catch layers of yellow, orange, and red before gradually giving way to deeper blues above. There’s a calm satisfaction in watching this slow transition—a sense of stillness as the day gently comes to an end.

With this final painting of 2025, commissioned as a Christmas gift, I set out to capture this moment of quiet reflection. It’s a painting about the experience of standing still in an open landscape, watching color and light do their work. It’s a small celebration of the beauty found in simply observing the end of a day.