Mindfulness and Art: Shades of Evening

Painting of crows in a tree
Mildred Anne Butler (1858-1941), Shades of Evening, 1904. Photo © National Gallery of Ireland.Credit

Take 5 minutes

Spend 5 minutes sitting in silence, looking at this watercolour.

Some things to reflect on while looking in silence:

  • How do you feel while looking at the watercolour?
  • What do you notice? What is your eye drawn to?
    • The artist's lines and marks
    • The composition
    • The light
    • The shadows
    • The forms and shapes
    • The subject
  • What is the mood and atmosphere?
  • Why do you think the artist created the watercolour?
Crows in a tree
Crows in a tree

About the watercolour

Mildred Anne Butler (1858–1941), Shades of Evening, 1904

Mildred Anne Butler contributed regularly to the Water Colour Society of Ireland's exhibitions between 1892 and 1938. A review in 'The Athenaeum', May 5th, 1897 stated: '...[Her] pictures command attention by the massing and breadth of their chiaroscuro'. Butler drew inspiration from the tranquil countryside around her home at Kilmurry, County Kilkenny. This atmospheric scene is typical of her style.

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