Twighlight in a Rural Village
A Watercolor for the Sake of Serenity
Around 1993, during a doctoral research trip for the University of Wales, I traveled from South Wales, where we stayed in a small bungalow in Ilston on the Gower Peninsula. This charming spot, nestled beside a winding little brook whimsically named “Willy Nilly” (the source of our familiar phrase), was graciously provided by a church nearby Swansea. I was on my way to the Radnor Forest in Radnorshire, just across the English border. The outing took longer than I initially planned. I was caught in the fading light winding through the countryside.
In the gathering dusk, I stumbled upon a quiet village—a scene strikingly like the one depicted in this painting. A blend of solitude and peace washed over me, dispelling the unease that had crept into my spirit (suddenly feeling lost and in the darkened countryside long before smartphone maps. Yet, being lost in the country isn't all that bad, really. The stillness of the night and the beauty of the village were like a balm, reminding me of the Psalmist’s words: “In peace, I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8, ESV). It was a moment of grace, and I have long remembered it, hoping to capture its essence in this work.
Reflecting now, I wonder how many feel a similar unease in these challenging times. “I feel lost, or, better put, I feel like I am just out of place. I am losing the light to navigate. I don’t recognize any of the signs. What happened to my plans? Where will I go now?” Then, you realize that God will never leave you. You are in His hand forever. And the stillness becomes solitude, and the darkness becomes the backdrop for the light of the World beside you.
Perhaps this image might offer a moment of calm to at least one needy soul. Life’s events can often leave us feeling unsteady, like Peter on the waves, needing that quiet word from Christ, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39, ESV). If this image, paired with these words, brings a quietness to an otherwise troubled spirit, then it has served its purpose.
The following is what I originally wrote for the placement of this painting in our online gallery. I offer it to you now with hope and prayer.
About the Artwork
This watercolor on archival cotton panel captures a memory of a quiet autumn evening in a rural village near the border of England and Wales. The fading light softens the scene, where shadows blur the edges of trees and rooftops, evoking a sense of solitude and nostalgia. The dim glow on the horizon hints at the day's last rays, casting a gentle warmth over the humble cottages and soft green countryside, now covered by the encroaching shadows. In this twilight hour, the village rests in rural tranquility, as if suspended between the realms of memory and reality, where time feels slowed, and the familiar takes on a timeless grace. I have chosen Psalm 4:8 (ESV) to accompany the painting, a Psalm that many of us look to as bedtime nears, a Psalm to quieten our spirits, recalibrating our minds by the gift of the Word according to the hours of the day:
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” I think this verse resonates with the peaceful stillness of the village scene, a reminder of divine comfort and rest that blankets even the quietest corners of the world.
A Prayer
Lighten our darkness, we beseech you, O Lord; and by your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen (Collect for Evening, Book of Common Prayer)
A Benediction
The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us, this night and evermore.