Poetry in the Sky -- Tornado Paintings by David Smith

Tornado Roping Out - Tornado Painting by David Smith

"Tornado Roping Out, Blue Jacket, Oklahoma" (2007)
Oil on copper (8" x 10")
(Notes: A powerful tornado begins roping out in a pasture near Blue Jacket, Oklahoma. Tornadoes in the dissipating stage can resemble narrow tubes or ropes, and often curl or twist into complex shapes. These tornadoes are said to be "roping out," or becoming a "rope tornado." When they rope out, the length of their funnel increases, which forces the winds within the funnel to weaken due to conservation of angular momentum. NFS)

Texas Original

Designated a Texas Original by The Texas Commission on the Arts