'Sunset on the Water' is a tranquil 14x11 inch original oil painting created in 2025 that captures the serene beauty of evening light over Lake Pend Oreille with the Selkirk Mountains rising in the distance. Painted by contemporary landscape artist Richard Wieth, this atmospheric work depicts one of Idaho's most spectacular natural settings and comes professionally framed with hanging hardware—ready to display immediately upon arrival.
 
The painting captures that magical transitional moment as day yields to evening. A luminous sky dominates the upper portion of the composition, painted in layers of blue-violet, soft pink, and golden yellow where the sun breaks through clouds near the horizon.
The Selkirk Mountains appear as dark silhouettes—deep browns and near-blacks with subtle warm highlights—creating a dramatic profile against the glowing sky.
 
The water of Lake Pend Oreille reflects the sky's colors in a complex dance of horizontal brushstrokes. Deep navy and blue-violet tones in the foreground suggest the lake's depth, while golden-yellow reflections mirror the sunset light, and lighter blue-gray areas show where sky reflects in calmer water. The surface treatment creates the sense of gentle movement—ripples and subtle waves catching and fragmenting light.
 
The immediate foreground features darker, cooler tones suggesting the shoreline or near-water vegetation, grounding the viewer at water's edge and creating spatial depth. Throughout the composition, Wieth's sophisticated handling of reflected light demonstrates his understanding of how water surfaces interact with atmospheric conditions and changing light.
 
The overall palette—predominantly cool blues and violets warmed by strategic touches of golden yellow—creates a peaceful, contemplative mood. This is painting as meditation, capturing the quiet grandeur of Idaho's lake country at the day's most beautiful hour. The visible brushwork and layered color application show confident technique, with horizontal strokes emphasizing the water's expanse and the broad sweep of mountain and sky.
 
Professionally framed and including installed hanging hardware, 'Sunset on the Water' arrives ready to hang. The elegant frame complements the painting's cool palette while protecting the work and providing gallery-quality presentation. Created in 2025, this is Wieth's most recent work, demonstrating his continued exploration of the landscapes surrounding his Sandpoint, Idaho studio.
 
Lake Pend Oreille Significance:
One of the West's remarkable water bodies:
Idaho's largest lake (43 miles long, 1,150 feet deep)
Fifth deepest lake in United States
Pristine water quality and scenic beauty
Surrounded by Selkirk, Cabinet, and Bitterroot Mountains
Sandpoint: Voted America's Most Beautiful Small Town
Major outdoor recreation destination
Naval submarine testing site (due to depth)
Growing tourism and second-home market
Selkirk Mountains Context:
Mountain range spanning Idaho, Washington, Montana, British Columbia
Rising over 7,000 feet near Lake Pend Oreille
Dramatic backdrop to lake views
Old-growth forests and wilderness areas
Skiing, hiking, and outdoor recreation
Distinctive profile recognizable to locals
 
Technical Analysis
Atmospheric Perspective Mastery:
Wieth demonstrates sophisticated depth creation:
Foreground darkness: Cool, dark tones establish viewer position
Middle ground water: Complex reflection and surface treatment
Background mountains: Silhouetted forms create distance
Sky depth: Layered clouds and atmospheric color
Color temperature: Cooler foreground, warmer horizon, cool upper sky
Value structure: Darkest darks to luminous lights create space
 
Water Surface Technique:
Painting reflective water requires understanding:
Horizontal emphasis: Brushwork follows water surface
Broken color: Multiple hues create shimmer and movement
Value variation: Darker depths, lighter reflections
Fragmented light: Golden reflections broken by ripples
Sky mirroring: Inverted sky colors in water
Perspective: Closer water shows more detail/contrast
 
Color Strategy:
Cool-dominant palette with warm accents:
Blues and violets: Create evening atmosphere
Golden yellows: Sunset light breaking through
Dark browns/blacks: Mountain silhouettes anchor composition
Pink touches: Atmospheric perspective in sky
Temperature contrast: Cool overall with warm highlights
Subtle complexity: Many values within color families
 
Compositional Structure:
Rule of thirds: Horizon line positioned for dynamic balance
Horizontal emphasis: Wide landscape format, horizontal strokes
Simplified forms: Mountains reduced to essential silhouettes
Sky dominance: Upper two-thirds emphasize atmosphere
Foreground anchor: Dark bottom establishes viewer position
Focal area: Golden light draws eye to horizon/sunset
 
The Art of Painting Water
Technical Challenges:
Water is among painting's most difficult subjects:
Transparent yet reflective
Constantly moving
Contains reflected colors from surroundings
Surface texture changes with wind and ripples
Depth vs. surface vs. reflection relationships
Time-specific light conditions
 
Historical Precedent:
Great painters of water:
J.M.W. Turner: Atmospheric seascapes
Claude Monet: Water lilies and reflections
Winslow Homer: Coastal waters
John Singer Sargent: Venetian waters
Richard Diebenkorn: Ocean Park abstractions
Wieth's approach combines impressionist handling with contemporary sensibility.
 
Sunset Painting Tradition:
Sunset subjects have sustained appeal because they:
Mark transition and change
Evoke contemplation and peace
Offer spectacular color opportunities
Connect to daily rhythms
Symbolize endings and beginnings
Provide universal emotional resonance