Welcome to The Very Rich Hours, where you can find postings of each day’s sunset. I’ve been painting every sunset since January 1, 2006.


This journal is named for the 15th-century illuminated manuscript The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry (Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry).


Most of these sunsets are seen from the same vantage point, facing the Blue Ridge, north of Charlottesville, Virginia. Even when I’m traveling and the sunset has to be done later from sketches, all of these works are painted “alla prima” — wet in wet, without later revision or overpainting, in about the same time it takes to watch the sun go down.


Thanks for your interest in this work. To receive each day’s sunset painting in your Facebook timeline, “Like” The Very Rich Hours.

 

William Van Doren

CONTACT

 

TABULA ROSA (THE RED SERIES)

VAN DOREN ON THE SUNSET SERIES

READ BEFORE XMAS!

TWEETS ILLUSTRATED

SUNSET SLIDESHOWS

Entries in Beatles (9)

Thursday
Dec062012

Hello Goodbye – Sunset, Thursday, 6 December 2012

William Van Doren, HELLO GOODBYE. Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.

Posted on DateThursday, December 6, 2012 at 09:52PM | by AuthorBVD | in | tagged , , , , , | | CommentPost a Comment
Pin It!
Thursday
Dec082011

In My Mind There’s No Sorrow – Sunset, Thursday, 8 December 2011

William Van Doren, IN MY MIND THERE’S NO SORROW. Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.

Title from John Lennon, in Lennon-McCartney’s “There’s A Place.”

Posted on DateThursday, December 8, 2011 at 07:27PM | by AuthorBVD | in , | tagged , , , , , , | | CommentPost a Comment
Pin It!
Monday
Nov212011

When the Rain Comes (Sunset, Monday, 21 November 2011)

William Van Doren, WHEN THE RAIN COMES (Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va.) Oil on watercolor block, 13 x 19.

Just starting to rain at sunset.

Posted on DateMonday, November 21, 2011 at 06:45PM | by AuthorBVD | in | tagged , , , , , , , | | CommentPost a Comment
Pin It!
Friday
Apr082011

Tweets Illustrated: Matchbox

William Van Doren, pencil on scratchpad.

Posted on DateFriday, April 8, 2011 at 09:33AM | by AuthorBVD | in , | tagged , | | CommentPost a Comment
Pin It!
Thursday
Feb182010

Sunset, Thursday, 18 February 2010

William Theodore Van Doren. Sunset from Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on watercolor block, 16 x 20.

Watching this sunset, I realized I could paraphrase The Beatles. It says good-bye, and I say hello.

Posted on DateThursday, February 18, 2010 at 07:23PM | by AuthorBVD | in , | tagged , , | | Comments Off
Pin It!
Saturday
Nov212009

Sunset, Saturday, 21 November 2009

William Theodore Van Doren. Stony Point, Albemarle County, Va. Oil on paper, 16 x 20.

It takes me the longest time to understand some things, things that are obvious to other people. 

Today I was listening to the Beatles/John Lennon sing “Because” from Abbey Road. 

Because the sky is blue
It makes me cry

That of course is a play on the sky feeling ‘blue’ ... but it was only a few years ago that I finally realized it.

My reaction always had been, “Hey – makes me cry too ... ”

Posted on DateSaturday, November 21, 2009 at 06:11PM | by AuthorBVD | in | tagged , , , , | | Comments Off
Pin It!
Page 1 2 Next 6 Entries »