Thunder Down Under: Sailing into Sunset

“Sailing into Sunset” [detail,
with the artist’s signature three birds]

Painting by Shirley Deane/Midyett

Text by Vic Midyett

“Sailing into Sunset” is the largest painting Shirley has ever done, about 2' x 6'. The scene is near the point where the Swan River is joined by the Canning River in Perth, Western Australia (see the image below):

    Enlarged by the Canning, the Swan flows on southward into the Indian Ocean at Fremantle, where we live. As you can see, the widest point is where the rivers join, about 7.5 kilometers (4.5 miles). The painting depicts a view at a spot further south, where the Swan is about half that wide.

“Sailing into Sunset” [about 2' x 6' ]

    The Swan is about 60' deep at its deepest points, but most of it in the region depicted is less then 8' deep, which makes this part of the river the official ditch-point for any aircraft in trouble that can’t make it to the airport. It is a very popular area for sailboats and club races.
    It is also the view from the painting’s new owner’s kitchen window. Yes, “Sailing into Sunset” was a commissioned painting. She is delighted with this result. A little sad for me to see it go, though, as it became one of my absolute favorites.

Copyright © 2017 by Vic & Shirley Deane/Midyett