No snow, leaf buds, things looking up

 

Optimistically, I brought my paints to work today (although to be honest I bring them almost every day) and found some scenes after work before the sun set. This view is looking southeast across the train tracks, with the light industrial area and cellphone tower in the background. The commuter train went by a few times but it was too late to include it in the paintings. Had I seen it a few minutes earlier I may have been able to include it. To make that tree bark colour I mix umber (PBr7) which is a muddy tea-with-milk colour and a touch of green (PG36). 

Train tracks no leaves, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, April 2025

On the back of that paper I painted this scene of the path, benches, cars and five squirrels. You have to look closely to find all five, one is rather well hidden (and its not under one of the cars!). This is a scene from Trenholme park where I have made many paintings before, its the closest park to where we live with decent scenes. Another park is nearby, Loyola park, but its flatter and the trees are not as interesting, and there are less squirrels. Most of them were grey, with a few black ones.

Five squirrels, watercolour 6 x 7.5" cold press, April 2025

By the way, on the new page here all of the Painting Year in Review blogs are linked for easier access. Nobody has looked at that page yet so hopefully I get a few clicks on it.