The Winter that Never Ends…or So it Seems
This winter has been long, but it has also been a fruitful time for creating. Something about inches upon inches and feet upon feet of snow on the ground drives me inward both physically and emotionally and into the 2D studio I head.
Printmaking: Every winter the world around Chautauqua County becomes a more stark place with black and white and limited shades of color taking their place in the landscapes. This reduction of input inspires me in a quiet way after the vibrant brightness of the summer and especially the fall colors. The return of this palette has inspired a new block print to surface into my winter series. The beginning of winter has me wondering what winter backyard scene will come to me to inspire for this year’s block. I was still wondering until the dogs got me up early on the night of the January full blue moon. The air was very crisp and the moon was in the western sky as it was just starting its descent. Moon shadows, stars and snow on my backyard pine grove. Just inspiring and I was off and rolling that morning with my 2018 winter print.
Monoprinting, working with multi- colors and exploring new papers and mixed media combos with my prints also kept me going. I did some really loose pieces that spoke to me in different ways and I enhanced them with drawing, ink painting and paper collage.
Clay: Getting an email inviting me to participate in a show at the View Center in the Adirondacks sent me back into the clay studio to start some pieces this winter during our one two day winter thaw based on my feelings of love for the land masses found in the Adirondacks. These pieces are just started now, but as spring finally arrives I will be out finishing and firing them. Spring can’t be far off now- May is about to start!
Painting: Most of this winter’s paintings took place during two vacations- late fall in Edisto Island State Park I found the palmetto forms speaking to me and in mid winter during a trip to Orlando, the birds of paradise in our condo caught my eye.
So, all in all, a very productive winter of mark making for me!
Stop in this spring and summer to say hello and see how winter focused me in the studios.