Friday, April 01, 2011

Will-o'-the-wisp



When I was a child I lived and breathed fairytales.  They fascinated me, both the words and the illustrations.  Ghosts, fairies, trolls, witches....they in turned scared me and made me search out more. When the  light fades and night draws in, I always think of those fairytales.  When the sky loses light and the moon shines through thin cloud onto the water, the world takes on a new look and feel.  In my imagination, little pinpricks of light on the distant shore across the bay, that are houses or businesses or cars, become will-o'-the-wisps, the magical balls of fire that flicker in the mist. 

As darkness falls, the land and sea take on a new life and look.  Its as mesmerizing to me as watching the flames burn in a fire.  The absence of natural light and the addition of artificial light, shadows and reflections can turn the mundane world into fairytales and ghost stories.

This small pastel was a quick sketch of lights across the cove at that magical time of day.

7 comments:

Billie Crain said...

My favorite time of day, Jeanette.:) Love the pastel as well. The world seemed so full of magic when we were kids and it's a state of mind that we should try to hang onto even as adults.

vivien said...

I loved magic too - especially of the don't-turn-and-look-back variety :>)

not horror, hate that, but magic

Jeanette Jobson said...

I agree Billie, a little magic makes the world a better place.

Yes, there's nothing left to the imagination in horror Vivien.

Jennifer Rose said...

lovely reflection in the water :)

i love dusk, the world takes on such a different tone, and when its foggy I can almost believe sometimes that i am crossing into Avalon (loved the myth when i was a kid, still do actually lol)

Unknown said...

I don't think I've ever seen a Will-o-the-wisp, but they look lovely in this drawing of yours.

Jean Spitzer said...

Beautiful.

Jala Pfaff said...

Magnificent.