F-16 Over Brussels at Golden Hour

Ever since I was a child, the roar of a jet overhead made my heart race. That lifelong love of flight lives in every brushstroke of this painting. I wanted to capture the moment a Belgian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon tears across the sky above the Grand-Place, where centuries of history meet the raw power of modern flight.

I built the sky with thick, restless impasto, letting the paint pile up in ridges of amber, cream, and gold. Golden-hour light spills across the canvas, warming the Gothic spire of the Town Hall and the ornate Baroque guildhalls below. I love how those old stones glow while the jet stays cool and sleek, slate-grey against fire.

The Belgian roundels—black, yellow, and red—were painted with real affection. They ground the aircraft in place and pride. Down in the misty square, tiny figures remind us how vast the sky truly is.

For me, this piece is about awe. It's the thrill of watching something so fast, so beautiful, cut through golden air above a city I cherish. I hope you feel that same lift in your chest when you look up.