Oh, the joy of painting this! I wanted to keep that first rush of energy alive and resist the temptation to overwork it. For me, that meant allowing the brushstrokes to stay loose, open and full of movement, trusting the painting to find its own balance without tightening everything up.

I especially loved mixing the greys in the clouds. Those quieter, softer tones allowed the sunset colours to glow with even greater intensity, so the whole sky feels alive with contrast, drama and light.

This painting came from that happy place where instinct takes over, and where letting go a little can bring far more life to the work than trying to control every detail.