An atmospheric plein air oil study and expressive contemporary impressionist painting by multi-award winning female artist Denisa Mansfield, created directly from life while observing the vivid, ever-changing skies over Colchester at dusk. Painted outdoors in the moment, the work embraces the challenges of working rapidly in oil, capturing that fleeting transition where light, cloud and colour shift constantly, never settling, always alive with energy.
In my impressionistic approach, I prioritised expressive impasto, textured brushwork and layered colour over fine detail, allowing the surface to convey movement, depth and emotional intensity. Vibrant ochres, warm golds and soft creams intertwine with cool blues and greys, echoing the fiery evening sky and its luminous, shifting atmosphere. The dynamic marks suggest both turbulence and harmony, reflecting the sky’s brief yet powerful presence.
This piece is both a study of transience and a celebration of the sky’s expressive nature, an ephemeral moment translated into rich texture, colour and feeling. An intimate plein air response to a scene that exists only for seconds before fading into memory.
Highly collectable artist and artwork, recently exhibited with Chelsea Art Society and the Royal Society of British Artists.