Snow Days

Yes, it is winter. We shovel. We curse.We watch for weather updates and hope nothing is on its way to sideline our plans. We consult the local rodent for early spring predictions. Some of us embrace the season and go skating or skiing. Some of us stay indoors till the snow melts. Some people go south. We do whatever we can.

I paint a lot in winter. Here's the evidence: a sampling of paintings I've done over many winters, some dating back to 1981. Snow is an inspiring subject. It's all about sculpture and shadows.

And now I'm going for a walk in the snow, maybe get some new inspiration along the way. Winter...love it or leave it.

January

What to make of January? A month of good intentions, though I learned long ago not to make huge whopping resolutions that can only make you feel like such a loser when you break them. So now I just go about my days trying to appreciate the good things, like our fish pond, which is frozen over now but will come to life again ...in April.

And here's our tree of birds. Mostly mourning doves waiting for a chance to take over the feeder. Sometimes they sit there for hours, not making a sound, meditating on food.

A while ago we had some dratted freezing rain which kept us inside but made for some cool pictures like these.

Jailbird, Jailbird through my window...

Lately I've been doing what many of you have been doing: sorting through stuff with new resolve to start the year fresh. For me this involves a bit of a cull in my studio-again-and I've managed to turf some old canvasses and watercolours that had nowhere to go but the orange garbage bag. Then I had a relapse and thought I'd recycle the paper, turn it into papier- mache and make...masks...or bowls that I could decorate. Not a good idea! I soon remembered earlier attempts at this craft and what a lot of work it is. And as if to confirm my thoughts, Sam and Bridget got hold of one of my efforts before it was dry and tried to eat it. Yum, wallpaper paste!

So here I am down in the studio still wondering about the significance of everything. At least it's clean again, for now, and things ARE taking shape, just not papier-mache things.

The following pictures show our darling kitties helping me.

"I'll get you, Sam!"

" Now I'm the King...er...Queen of the Castle!"

"One false move and I'll flatten you!"

"Ha! Look at me up here. If I hold this pose maybe nobody will notice. But that's crazy because I know I can't sit still for more than a second." (And with that she climbed to the top of the drapes.)

"Well, I don't need to do all that posing, I just have to look gorgeous."

So cheers, everybody and here's to good intentions.

Snow-globes

Today we woke up to a blizzard, no surprise for the season. Luckily we don't have to go anywhere so I spent the snow-day re-arranging my studio and THROWING STUFF OUT. That is always the hard part, deciding what should be jettisoned. I must be in a ruthless mood in order to get rid of certain things like yellowed mats and paintings that just won't cut it no matter how much tarting-up I do. So now I feel I've accomplished a great clear-out, tho' there's a lot more that could go, but not today.

My husband George has just arrived with a glass of wine and some munchies, Louie the cat is sprawled in front of the fire, right next to my computer and I'm about to put up my feet.

The snow-globes were a set of ATCs I painted last winter. That's how it looks outside now.

Winter Scenes

Now that Winter has hit us once more we might as well relax and enjoy it. The first snowfall is always pretty and brings me back to childhood excitement and anticipation. Once December is over though most of us are counting the days till Spring.

There is something sensually sculptural about fresh snow and the shadows cast on the new formations of the landscape. It's lovely to paint it from the warmth of my studio. I know there are keeners who doggedly paint outdoors in below-freezing temperatures but I'm not one of them.

The last two images of this post were done from our back window a few years ago, one in January, one in February. I'd planned to complete the series to end up with the 12 months recorded over the changing seasons but , as often happens, I got sidetracked. Maybe 2009 will see a final result.