I researched Belarus using a travel guide, the internet including google earth, and a book about the Chernobyl disaster. The remarkable thing was about how important the land is to the people, and the effects of Chernobyl which contaminated a huge fraction of the Belarus hinterland. One type of image seemed iconic to the region, that is, the low lying swamps and rivers that are lined with great trees. Blanketed with snow, the pastel lights are almost neon. I borrowed from Hiroshige to design this one, the print I had in mind was Meguro Drum Bridge and Sunset Hill, which featured snow covered trees, falling snow and a strangely blue river. Water does not seem to freeze in Hiroshige's world. Belarus and Japan have noting to do with one another, however the combination certainly created an interesting painting for the series. Unless I get inspired between now and midnight, this will be the last painting I do for the year!
The series is going roughly in alphabetical order, so Belize, Benin, and Bhutan would be the next three.
World Inspired Landscapes: Belarus 4 x 6" cold press watercolour, December 2020
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