A thick layer of snow came down last night, resulting in some neat formations around this rock in Coffee Park. Some people walked by and commented about how 'that guy is making art' and I think took a picture of me. Not many painters go out in the winter. I started winter painting around the end of 1995, which was the first year I started painting on location. Back then I added alcohol to the water but it was ineffective, so I had to just paint fast instead. Now with the right amount of salt, the paint flows well enough although the colours dull slightly. I like the swirl of shadow around the rock, its very Van Gogh-like. I wanted to contrast the heavy solid, warm rock with the fluffy cold snow.
Rock in snow, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, January 2025
In the background the commuter train went by and I made a quick painting. Since it was drying so slow, I actually made the other painting of the rock, then finished this one. Even so, the trees and the windows blurred into the background. You still get the idea though. Some artists prefer to take photos and work at home, which is a valid approach, however its just not for me. When on location its about the full immersion, the sounds, the smells, the physical feeling (like cold), and not to mention the visual information is much richer in real life than in a photo. The last time I painted from photos on a regular basis was from around 1990 - 1994 before I started location painting. After that, I occasionally use a photo for special projects, but otherwise much prefer outdoor painting. Indoors, I primarily do abstracts and imaginary painting like the World Inspired Landscapes series.
Train snowy day, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, January 2025
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