October Sky

The 1999 movie October Sky is an inspiring film based on the true story of Homer Hickam, a boy growing up in a coal mining town, who dreamed of reaching the stars. Like every other boy in his community, he was expected to follow in his father's footsteps -- into the darkness and danger of the coal mine. But with the news of the launch of Sputnik 1 by the Soviets, a new idea came to Homer. He decided to build a rocket. Through trial and error, and with much help from his friends, Homer succeeded to reach his goal, eventually winning a gold medal at the National Science Fair and launching a large rocket 30,000 feet into the air. Homer went on to study engineering at Virginia Tech and worked many years for NASA. 

My October sky is not filled with rockets and lofty goals, but to me it's an achievement. I have been wanting to paint our beautiful Florida sky for many years. Every day brings a wonderful new work of art, painted by the Creator. From sunrise to sunset, the sky is constantly changing, from the first streaks of light in the morning to a glorious end of the day. To capture the wonder of sunlight on the clouds, a storm in the distance, or the fleeting beauty of a rainbow is an enchanting idea to me. So, after a decades-long hiatus from painting, I decided to give it a try.

I have always loved watercolors. I'm not even sure why. Perhaps it's the spontaneity that is suggested in the medium, or the ethereal quality of the paint that attracts me. But I think the thing that intrigues me the most is the challenge of getting those colors to do what I want them to do. Watercolor painting actually takes a great deal of thought. Because they are transparent, the artist must plan ahead in order to save the white of the paper. And because it is a wet medium, the paint behaves differently when applied to wet paper, as opposed to dry. Once all that thinking takes place, it is time to take action -- quickly, and without hesitation. Sometimes, the colors obediently do their duty. Other times, they do their own thing. And sometimes, their rebellious nature creates a lovely surprise! 

This week, I painted an October sky. It is the first, I'm sure, of many to come. There is plenty of room for improvement, but through trial and error, I hope to reach my goal. My skies will never be as magnificent as the ones painted by the Artist who created them. But I hope to eventually capture the splendor of the Florida sky.