Red Sunset, 1987

William Ronald Helen Ronald / The Estate of William Ronald

“Red Sunset is an original acrylic on canvas painting from 1987 by William Ronald. At 8 x 10 inches, it is a small work but is full of ideas. Although its form appears chaotic at first glance, there is a circular central focal point. Unlike most of the artist’s landscape inspired abstract work, this central image is the least textured part of the painting. The colours seem to build upwards with the red at the top and right side projecting forward. William Ronald’s breakthrough painting was 1954’s In Dawn The Heart which won him the first Guggenheim Award for Canada which was a prestigious international art competition. In Dawn the Heart, as the title implies, depicts dawn light mystically breaking through darkness. Painted by a successful veteran painter over thirty years later, Red Sunset is in many ways its complete opposite. The artist’s intention reminds me of the Dylan Thomas (one of his favourite poets) lines: Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.” - By Lawrence Brissenden for The Estate of William Ronald