Red Dust Sun

Kicking up dust

As I stepped out of the house this morning I looked up at the sky, the sun was a glowing ball of coral red. It was if I was looking at the sun of a different solar system, stood on the surface of a planet far away but the neat rows of houses and telephone wires reminded me I was still on earth.

As we drove to the shops I kept an eye on the sky, the sun was now shining through a haze, a dispersed glow of pinks and oranges against a grey sky. As thicker cloud started to move across the path of the sun it made me think of a blood moon, the kind you might find in a werewolf film, 'Awwoooooooh!' The radio was on and they were discussing the imminent arrival of ex-Hurricane Ophelia on the coast of Ireland. Saharan dust particles were being drawn northwards by the ex-Hurricane, causing the red sun we could see in the sky above us.

When we came out from the shops the light appeared to be different, as if everything was bathed in a soft orange light. I turned on the car headlights and we made our way home.

Just before midday I was out in the garden, I tied down anything that might turn into a flying missile and put the patio furniture away. By this time ex-Hurricane Ophelia had reached Ireland, we weren't expecting the winds to be anywhere near as strong here in this part of England, but it was better to be safe than sorry. The wind had picked up and autumn leaves were speeding past my face, it felt unusually warm too. A family of sparrows shot past me and into the safety of a hawthorn hedge, I took that as a sign it was time to get indoors.

Inside the house I set up my paints and then turned on the lights in order to see what I was doing. I looked through the window to where the sun had been but all I could see were clouds forming a flawless yellow grey blanket across the sky.

'Red Dust Sun' -2017 -

Watercolours, inks and water-based paints on paper.