WINTER SNOW STUDY

 

I was lucky to discover this farm not far from where I used to live and have done many studies and paintings of it over the years. Here, I walked around to the back early one morning and painted this view from across a low valley. These buildings are attached to the back of the farm and the silos and larger barns are out of the picture on the right. I focused on this section because of the more subtle rooflines with the melting snow that created patterns coupled with the bare trees that acted as a foil to the sky. Of course, the light was paramount as usual and contained a lot of warm tones due the the lower position of the sun that had just risen. I'm sure in the future I will continue to explore this area and try to capture more of its many changing moods. Size of this one is 8 x 10 inches, oil on canvas.

EVENING LIGHT STUDY

 

Walking back home one evening just before it got dark, I looked across the fields and saw a thin strip of light breaking through the clouds. This was a wonder to me and is this kind of thing that really resonates with me as an artist. So when I got back to the studio, I tried to capture what I had seen in this small painting. Even now, when looking at the study, I can still remember the scene clearly in my mind and it brings back vivid emotions of that moment. Size is 8 x 10 inches (20 x 26cm), oil on board

HOUSE SPARROW STUDIES

 

Downstairs from where we are staying is a small party of around 10 to 12 House Sparrows. We see them everyday no matter the weather (we have been getting some incredibly cold temps lately). So from time to time, I go down with my sketchbook in the hope of getting a few more studies. I think I wrote a while ago that I prefer the males in their winter plumage with their somewhat muted plumage. Their black bibs are mostly hidden by lighter breast feathers and their heads a little more diffuse than in summer. I think this is the first time I have painted a female. Anyway, I did these watercolor studies recently trying to capture their individual characteristics and especially their form which is usually puffed up on colder days - a look I like a lot! Size is around 12 x 9 inches (30 x 23cm).

WINTER MARSH III

 

This painting is one in a series of works that I have planned. The viewpoint is looking east across a nearby marsh and will focus on the quality of the early morning light from sunrise until around mid-day. This particular scene is around 11:00 or so with the sun behind higher clouds that are slowly breaking up. I'm hoping to capture a particular mood in each of these paintings with the receding marsh grasses and reeds being of a secondary importance. The marsh is only short drive away so I can be there at just about any time of the day, quickly set up my painting equipment and capture whatever the day has to offer. This oil on canvas is 12 x 9 inches (30 x 23 cm).

BAY OF FIRES

 

I have been working on this watercolor for some time and recently spent a day putting the final touches to it. I think I am happy with the painting although I'll probably find a few other things to do to it then I'll upload a better image. Studio work has been a little slow of late but now I am back in the swing of things and have a lot of work planned for the year. Hopefully this time I'll be able to condense a few of the ideas that have been held most important in my mind during 2024 and finally come to fruition - that will be reflected here on my blog. This one is a 10 x 8 inches.

SNOWY OWL

 

I did this small watercolor for a greeting card design, something I used to do quite a lot of. Luckily I have seen quite a few snowy owls so I have quite a bit of reference of them. We usually see the more-heavily marked females around here which is fine by me as I do prefer this plumage. While I enjoy all the markings, it is of course the eyes that are really the focal point here and in this study, its gaze really seem to penetrate. Size is about 6 x 9 inches.