I chose to use a big looming storm contrasting with a clear, quiet area of blue sky as a metaphor.
Stormy skies are wonderful symbols of change, oftentimes looming and ominous. Set against the peaceful foreground of grazing cows and the meandering Platte River, this impending storm signifies the catastrophic changes that were soon to sweep up the Cozad family and bring an end to Robert’s idyllic youthful time in Nebraska.
Living here in southcentral Nebraska, It isn’t hard to find inspiration for painting skies. During the stormy summer season, all I have to do is step out my back door, as in the photo above. The immensity of the sky and its dramatic moods leave me awestruck on a regular basis. I blogged about this a few months ago before I started the mural (here).
I created a sense of depth and atmosphere in the storm, with its billowy soft top hovering over ominous darker clouds, and rollers heralding the curtains of rain falling below.