Hi all,

Just in time for the weekend I have finished my latest little painting, “Gerlos in Thaw.” The source material is a photo from a hike on a sunny afternoon during our ski vacation in Zillertal, Austria.

This one is a little rougher, a little less sentimental than the last. Frustratingly, my regular “panel” (certain family members and friends) liked my last one better than anything else I have done. Only that one was an aberration. This one is truer to my own personal taste and a step closer to what I am trying to accomplish. The colours are bolder, the light and shadow is a bit extreme, the surfaces are rougher. Good. That was my experience of the place itself, how it made me feel and how I like to remember my time there. In it I am also emulating a rather “painterly” method I admire (from the works of Lawren Harris) to express shadow and “movement” in snow using brightly hued blue for shadow and broad brushstrokes. That was not quite so effective (ok, its awkward) but I can refine this over time and come up with my own variation of it. Anyhow, verdict by my new panel of one (me) is that it is not painful to look at, could be better, but nonetheless evidences some greater control and confidence in what I am painting.

Well folks, that was the last winter scene of the year. Spring is finally coming to this part of Switzerland.  My next one will actually be a beach scene (my first) – a gift to some lovely friends for their beach house in South Africa (the source material photo is from there). Can’t wait.

Thanks, as always for stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend!

– HD