Balloon Ascension Day

Today, January 9th is Balloon Ascension Day. This commemorates the first balloon flight in the United States in 1793. The French aeronaut, Jean Pierre Blanchard, took flight over the Walnut Street Prison in Philadelphia above a large crowd. He ascended in a hydrogen gas balloon, a popular balloon at the time. George Washington witnessed the launch of the balloon, too. That day he lit the fires of fascination with ballooning in Americans. Here is my painting called “Balloons Across the Amber Waves of Grain.” I used a pearlescent paint for the shine on the balloons which is best seen on the original.