Painting Night in Winter

This gem was inspired by the best (and final) snowfall of the winter. It had snowed lightly, but steadily all weekend, trees were spectacular weighted with snow. This is earliest morning light, facing East on Huth Road. The streetlights are yellow-orange in color, casting long violet shadows. These trees are now blooming with Spring leaves; the painting took me longer than any other I have done. I also learned a great deal about using glazes and multiple layers of color to build depth while I worked up a sore shoulder from all the strokes required to create the branching. This is the absolute opposite of plein air, but is influenced by all I have learned by painting on location as well as the series of studio oils completed in the past few months.

Out of place with blooming Forsythia in the yard, I look forward to the summer, as I look back at what I was able to capture during the most beautiful weather event of the winter.

Snow Before Dawn 28"x22" oil