Hidden Stream

Another in a series of snow scenes I have decided to paint this almost-winter.  We've had some snow and they're saying we might be up to a foot of snow this coming week - lovely (ugghh).  Yet, even though the process of getting those inches is terrible - when it's finally on the ground and we get to hike to special, quiet places that few people see, it is all worth it.

Another pastel from our favorite hike down near the ski slopes of Gore Mountain.  I hope you "feel" the cold like we did on that hike.  Mounds of snow covered the stream, yet we could hear it gurgling underneath, alive and well and waiting for spring.

12x16 on Ampersand Board

Silent Creek

The Adirondacks......a great place to hike, even on a sunny, cold Sunday afternoon in February.  My husband and I took a hike near Gore Mountain last February and we came upon this lovely spot where the shadows on the creek stood out.  The water was dark, the snow was exceptional - so clean -- and the shadows were incredibly prominent.   Snow can be a challenge to paint - it's certainly not just white.  It reflects all the colors around it and seems alive to me.  Hopefully, we'll get to go back to this same spot this year and maybe we'll get to see a deer enjoying this spot, along with us.

11x14 on Ampersand board

Snow Train

Finally finished the pastel of the train that comes to North Creek NY.  Every winter the train makes trips from New York City and Saratoga Springs, to North Creek, where the skiing is great at Gore Mountain.  The train specializes in a great breakfast before skiers disembark at the North Creek station for a day, or a week, of skiing.  I always love to see these trains stopped in the snow.  I took this photo last year - it was snowing, cold and quiet at the station.  Getting the snow on the pastel board was a challenge.  I tried Liz Haywood Sullivan's method of alcohol on a toothbrush with pastel and it worked up to a point, but I also manually added the flakes.  Between the two techniques, I think it worked!

This pastel is on Ampersand board and is 16x20.

Little Early Christmas Paintings

This past week I've been busy painting tiny acrylic paintings that I'm turning into Christmas tree ornaments for the local Country Christmas Tour, which our town hold every Thanksgiving weekend.  The money raised helps our town Ambulance Corps, Volunteer Fire Dept., and school scholarships.  It's a nice way to help the community and I've enjoyed painting these very small landscapes and animals.   It means simplifying the compositions without loosing the essentials.  Here are a few of my tiny acrylics.

I should say that some are painted on birch bark and all have backing that sparkles......for Christmas!