First Twilight After the Frost – Sunset, Friday, 25 October 2013

William Van Doren, FIRST TWILIGHT AFTER THE FROST. Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.

In the Dark – Sunset/Twilight, Thursday, 24 October 2013

William Van Doren, IN THE DARK. Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.

Cooler – Sunset, Wednesday, 23 October 2013

William Van Doren, COOLER. Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.

If Tony Ruled the World – Sunset, Tuesday, 22 October 2013

William Van Doren, IF TONY RULED THE WORLD. Sunset from Hollymead, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.

This was a “driveway moment,” except the driveway I stopped in wasn't mine! I was driving up U.S. 29 to get home for the sunset, but about four miles from my destination I could see in my driver’s side mirror that something amazing was already happening. I turned up to the top of a ridge between a condo complex and a shopping center, where there’s a dead end lane into some space cleared for future construction. While I sketched, people in five other cars came up and pulled over just to see the sunset. It was kind of wonderful. From a car radio I heard the great Tony Bennett (who could just as well paint this himself) singing “If I Ruled the World” ... “Every head would be held up high/ There'd be sunshine in everyone's sky/ If the day ever dawned when I ruled the world.”

The Minute Your Back Is Turned ... – Sunset/Twilight, Monday, 21 October 2013

William Van Doren, THE MINUTE YOUR BACK IS TURNED .... Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.

I’d sketched the sunset — before, during, and after — and figured it was safe to go down to a little hollow where I started cutting firewood. Looked up after 10 minutes and saw the color above the trees. What the ... ! Back out to the field.

Night Flight – Sunset/Twilight, Sunday, 20 October 2013

William Van Doren, NIGHT FLIGHT. Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.