#1411 "Spring Shadows"

#1411 "Spring Shadows"
11x14 oils on canvas

The great blue herons had arrived at the Singleton Sanctuary along with the red-winged blackbirds and an increasingly larger number of ducks and geese. The sounds of spring were certainly in the air. 

The temperatures were above freezing and it was time to get back into plein air painting. This was my first plein air painting of the year - 2014. The winter was abnormally cold and snowy compared to our recent history El Nino. Most people would find it hard to believe that this winter is actually a result of global warming and a weaker jet stream. The jet stream has weakened by about 15% in the last 15 years as a result of the warming Arctic. 

It is also vital to consult the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) which is a recurring climate pattern involving changes in the temperature of waters in the central and eastern tropical. The sea surface temperatures were a bit on the cool side for winter 2013-14 but the anomalies were not strong enough to be classified as a La Niña event. La Niña winters tend to be colder and snowier for eastern Ontario.

The developing 2014–16 El Niño event would influence tropical cyclone activity around the world and contribute to record-breaking seasons in the Central Pacific and Eastern Pacific tropical cyclone basins.

As the morning warmed, the icy snow was no longer stronger enough to support me and I would suddenly drop a foot or two to the harder ground underneath. Some steps could be like an abrupt elevator ride to the ground floor. The shadows from the trees that stood behind me, played across the scene. I can and will do better with the next outside painting as I get my plein air legs back after a winter of studio work. 

For this and much more art, click on Pixels.

Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick