#2301 "Singleton Forest Cold Front"

My chores were done and I had some time to paint before Christmas arrived. I did not bother to look at the radar. I should have.

  I was trying to make something out of nothing. By nothing I mean those everyday scenes that surround us and we forget to take notice of the simple beauty that can be found there. I setup in the driveway and looked across the field to the south. Ash trees and a variety of small shrubs were colonizing what had been open pasture in 2006. Some white pines were also taking root along with shagbark hickories and perhaps even a few black walnuts. Squirrels can plant a lot of their favourite trees if you give them the chance. Nature is also resilient and will reestablish itself if humans only give the opportunity.

The wind picked up from the northwest just as I got started. That should have been a clue but I was absorbed in the scene. The snow blew from the limbs of the trees. The sun momentarily broke through the overcast cloud and I included that instant in the painting.

Fresh snow started to fall. It felt like a cold front on my bare hands. Weather and biting bugs can sometimes be your friends. They speed you along to capture the impression and essence of the scene.

There is no time for unnecessary detail. The wind increased.

The snow fell harder and mixed in with the oils. My painting hand got really cold. The temperature dropped 5 degrees Celsius in an hour. The cold front was confirmed.

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