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These colors.

“Yes?”

It’s what you’ve captured.

“Is it?”

Of course it is. You can’t deny your intention.

“I can’t?”

Yes.

“Yes I can?”

No.

“Which is it? Yes or no?”

It’s no, as in, you cannot deny your intention to capture the colors in this landscape.

“Well, I can.”

Don’t be ridiculous. They’re right here on display, splashed across the canvas.

“If that’s all you see, then your pulp criticism is guided by expectation and form. I’m not painting for color’s sake.”

You’re not?

“No.”

What are you doing then?

“I’m doing my best to replicate the light.”

The light?

“And the dark.”

The dark?

“It’s the areas where the light begins to fade or is, for the most part, absent … the transitions.”

I see.

“Good.”

What about me?

 “You?”

What about my transitions?

“I haven’t ever considered your transitions.”

That, I have noticed; but what about right now? What do you think?

“Could you slow down your pivot a bit?”

 Like this?

“A little slower … just like that … all the way around.”

Well?

“Curvaceous.”

Curvaceous?

“Your transitions are all kinds of cambered curves … with an occasional line or two that draws attention.”

One can only hope … I don’t have any angles?

“Angles? You? I’d need a transit and a box of protractors to cover all your angles.”

 I’ll take that as a compliment. As I was saying, I see … a lot of color.

“That’s okay. Color is good.”

But I do see the light too. Sunset.

“Oh?”

Long shadows.

“Could be sunrise.”

Not a chance. I’m pretty sure that I’ve walked through that meadow. Long shadows  stretching in that direction … has to be sunset.

“Then it is.”

You should paint more often. This is very relaxing to look at.

“Thanks.”

I should come with you next time.

“Next time?”

When you go out to paint another landscape.

“Okay. That would be nice.”

I have a place in mind. It’s special to me.

“Special?”

A hillside. The view from there is amazing. You’d like it. There’s always a nice breeze.

“When?”

Like I said … always.

“No. I mean when would you like to go. Tomorrow?”

Tomorrow is Sunday.

“Well, after we’re all prayed up and sanctified, you can take me to your hillside.”

Okay; But, leave your paints and canvas here.

“Why?”

We’ll just enjoy the view. You can capture the light some other day.

Sounds good. It’s a date.

Yes, it is … isn’t it.

 

James F. Ross

2016