I love the first day/evening back in the studio after the holidays.   I took this shot of the easel tonight, just before stopping for a dinner break.

 It feels great to be back to work…. starting a new year.

 

Here is a corner detail of the piece, (24″x 24″ on panel), I am working on this evening,                    (easel shot above).

These days I am noticing all of the bits of debris suspended in ice and in the snow.  On my walks with Oli I am mesmerized by the beautiful textures and colors formed in frozen ponds and ice-patches.  Pine needles, broken branches and bits of leaves trapped in the layers of ice form the most beautiful tapestries in blue, rust, turquoise and honey.

I have a few pieces going now, (oil washes and layers built with oil paint and waxy oil bar), and they seem to flow from the “surface tension” series into this new group inspired by the ice… 

 

***