One has to be really dedicated to their craft, or have a screw loose, or ideally both, in order to paint watercolours in a cold Canadian blizzard. This painting looked fantastic, a serene, colourful and visually stunning depiction of the campus quad (central area). Encrusted with snow, it turned into a watery mess upon drying, and voila, campus blizzard with lamp! I thought about touching it up at home, but in fact, its totally perfect as is, no doubt about there being a blizzard! I like how the light from the lamp almost seems to be blowing away in the wind.
Campus blizzard lamp, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, February 2025
I knew the first painting would dry pale and grey, so for this one I picked a scene with maximum contrast, in the background there were powerful lamps over the skating rink in Trenholme park with a prominent tree in the foreground. With heavy dark mixes and lots of white spaces, I kept the paint together and even though it was encrusted with snow, it dried more effectively. I pre-loaded certain areas knowing the snow would melt and dilute it to create the glowing effects. Its next-level winter painting when one can predict how a frozen painting will look when it thaws out. And a good dose of luck helps too.
Rink lights winter night, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, February 2025
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