#3004 "March Morning Light at Jim Day"

#3004 "March Morning Light at Jim Day" 
8 X 10 (inches).
Started 9:30 am Wednesday, March 4th, 2026

I had some time to paint. The weather was mild, and the winds were light. I set up my field easel on the marble point overlooking the exit of Jim Day Rapids into the Short Reach of Red Horse Lake. 

We sometimes feel like prisoners in our home, not wanting to disturb nature from their normal activities. I thought the trumpeter swans were all feeding at the upstream portion of the rapids. I had not noticed the lone trumpeter paddling around the exit. The swan trumpeted his distress at me being there, but did not leave. The swans and all of the other birds soon adjusted to my strange behaviour as I paced back and forth in front of my easel. 

Some creature had walked along the edge of the ice, leaving a staggering trail of prints. We frequently see mink and otter, but the prints could have even been left by the swans. The ice was not safe on the edge of the current, so I did not check closer. 

The morning light was filtered through the sparse white pine forest of the Short Reach. Shafts of light and shadows snaked through the trees and across the ice, following the ups and downs of the snow drifts. The painting was a careful balance between the size of the brush and the amount of detail required to tell the story. I did not touch the panel again except to scratch my name in the lower right. 

I only used the oils that had been on my palette, left over from #3003 "Latimer Rapids Inflow". It was a fun challenge and story. 

For this and much more art, click on the Collections. Here is the new Wet Paint Collection. Thank you for reading, and stay well!

Warmest regards, and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick