Brilliant, Sunny, Snow Day in Yellowwood, February 7, 2022
Like the title of this blog and painting says, it was a brilliant, sunny, snow day out in Yellowwwood State Forest that borders my small farm in Brown County, Indiana.
Brilliant, Sunny, Snow Day in Yellowwood, February 7, 2022, plein air oil painting.
So, despite the cold temperatures and my re-injured back, I just had to get out and paint. Sunny, snowy days are so rare that I have to take advantage and don my snow clothes and insulated arctic snow boots to hike out into the forest with my backpack.
Brilliant, Sunny, Snowy Day in Yellowwood, February 7, 2022, plein air oil painting.
With a high of 30° F, it was a tad warmer than when I painted the plein air oil painting on February 5, 2022 (23° F) and colder than the plein air oil from February 6, 2022.(40° F).
Nevertheless, standing out in below freezing temperatures for several hours is bone chilling!
Brilliant, Sunny, Snow Day in Yellowwood, February 7, 2022, plein air oil painting.
And the paint gets sticky and drippy with long, stiff tendrils of paint.
Brilliant, Sunny, Snow Day in Yellowwood, February 7, 2022, plein air oil painting.
Once again, I have to work very quickly to capture the scene before the paint becomes unworkable.
Brilliant, Sunny, Snowy Day in Yellowwood, February 7, 2022, plein air oil painting.
Here’s a detail of my signature signed in the wet paint in the field user a rubber tipped “color shaper” tool.
Brilliant, Sunny, Snowy Day in Yellowwood, February 7, 2022, plein air oil painting.
I write the field notes on the back of the painting back in my studio when I unpack it later in the evening.
Field Notes:
“Cold, 30°, brilliant sunny snow day. Standing in the creek. Hands got soooo cold!! Brrr. Paint starts freezing. Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County, IN.”
We finally had a big February snow early in the month and I am catching up on plein air painting. Sunny snow, days are so rare and so special to paint, I always make a point to get out as much as possible.
February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest, plein air oil painting
Ouch
Unfortunately, just a couple days prior to this painting, I was practicing a headstand and suddenly felt a sharp pain in my back. An old sledding accident injury dating back to February, 2007, when I slammed into a tree, was aggravated. I immediately came down out of the headstand and hoped for the best. There was still a lot of snow on the ground and on the road and I wanted to stay home and paint.
So, I delayed calling my osteopath and went out to paint several days in a row, backpacking my supplies up and down the hills, into the forest.
February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest, plein air oil painting
Valentine’s Day
I painted several wonderful snow paintings but my back grew more and more painful. I finally relented and went in for an Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT) treatment on Valentine’s Day. OMT is way better than any chiropractic therapy and doesn’t require returning every week for the rest of your life. I was ordered to not do anymore backpacking until my back recovered. Still to be determined if I will need any more OMT or if one treatment will do the trick.
Luckily, by the time I got the order to stop backpacking, most of the snow had melted.
February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest, plein air oil painting
Chilled to the bone
On this date, February 6, 2022, the temps warmed up to a balmy 40°. But, don’t be fooled! Standing out in those temperatures for several hours painting is still bone chilling. I dress in multiple layers including snow pants, long johns, yoga pants and jeans on the bottom half. Top half, I am layered in a rash guard shirt, thin wool sweater, thick hoodie, and top coat.
February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest, plein air oil painting
Magical
The colors of the snow, the blues, and violets and periwinkles are so delicate and ethereal, it is pure magic.
This was a stunningly gorgeous, sunny, snowy day and I couldn’t wait to get out in the woods to paint
February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest, plein air oil painting
Whenever the temperatures stay above freezing, the paint stays more pliable. The paint can still get stiff but not as bad as the February 5th painting when the temps were well below freezing.
I still get some of the tendrils or “icicles” but not nearly as much as the day before.
February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest, plein air oil painting
Signature
Signature in the wet paint, “February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest”, plein air oil painting
My fields notes written on the back of the painting read: “Sunny, 40°, much warmer than yesterday! Sciscoe Creek, Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County, IN. I dressed in multiple layers including snow pants, so I end up sweating by the time I hike out and set up. Wearing one of my rash guard shirts so it dries quickly.”
Here is the painting dropped in both a silver frame and an antique black with gold lip frame. Which do you like better? Please let me know in the comments section of this post.
Thanks for going out in the woods again with me. Always a pleasure to be back in by the cozy fire, enjoying a piece of the forest captured in a painting.
Happy trails,
Charlene
P.S. Go HERE to see the painting in situ and to purchase.
Except for a light dusting, we have had no snow all winter! Until now. We finally got about 6″ of snow here in Brown County which was preceded by a day of rain and a night of ice before the snow started. The county did not plow my road for at least two days. For a week, I only left my property to go out to hike and paint in the forest. So, I finally got some nice snow paintings done this winter.
Details of the painting
Detail, “Very Cold First Snow, February 5, 2022”, plein air oil painting, Brown County, Indiana.
Despite a brilliant, sunny day, the temperature was really cold. The sun did not provide any warmth! In fact, it hovered around 23° the entire time which is pretty much as cold as I try to go paint in the forest. The oil paints start freezing and become unworkable pretty fast.
“Very Cold First Snow, February 5, 2022”, detail, plein air oil painting, Brown County, Indiana.
So, I had to work very quickly to capture the painting while my paint was still pliable. As it starts to freeze, I get these tendrils or, as I like to call them, “icicles”.
“Very Cold First Snow, February 5, 2022”, detail, plein air oil painting, Brown County, Indiana.
You can see in this detail as well as other details, the tendrils or “icicles” formed as the paint got stiffer and more frozen.
Detail, plein air oil painting, Brown County, Indiana.
Painting quickly, outside, in below freezing temperatures, creates a painting with a raw, authentic quality that can only be captured in the cold, frigid weather. The paint handles differently in the brutal cold.
“Very Cold First Snow, February 5, 2022”, detail, plein air oil painting, Brown County, Indiana.
My Extreme Sport Arctic Muck Boots kept my feet and lower legs warm while I stood in the creek to paint. The boots have really thick soles and are completely insulated and waterproof.
While I work up a sweat hiking out to a location the forest, I am then standing for 2-3 hours and can get really cold. I used to wear long sleeved, cotton tees but once they got wet, they stayed wet and I got really cold. Now I love wearing the rash guard shirts I designed that dry quickly once I get to my location and set up to paint. So, the shirt can be wet by the time I arrive at my painting spot but dries out quickly so I can paint in comfort for several hours. Plus, I love the brilliant colors, chakras, and sacred geometry designs.
Rash guard shirt
Cold hands
My hands, in particular, get ice cold. Despite using two sets of knit gloves, I still have to periodically blow on my hands to try to keep them warm. I am still looking for a good glove solution whereby my hands stay warm while my fingers stay flexible enough to paint and use the palette knives.
Detail, “Very Cold First Snow, February 5, 2022”, plein air oil painting, Brown County, Indiana.
Next up, is a detail shot of my signature signed in the wet paint while still in the field. I love the way the signature blends in with the rest of the painting when I use my rubber tipped nib to sign my name.
Signature detail, “Very Cold First Snow, February 5, 2022”, plein air oil painting, Brown County, Indiana.
When I get back to the studio, I wait a few hours before pulling the painting out of the carrying box. That gives me some distance between the time I was on the scene and the time I can evaluate how the painting turned out. Then I write my field notes on the back of the painting.
Field Notes on the Back of the Painting, Very Cold First Snow, February 5, 2022
“VERY COLD!! 23°, sunny, my painting was freezing up, especially the Cerulean Blue, so I had to paint quickly. 3-5:30 p.m. My hands were freezing!! I was standing in the creek — my Extreme Sport Arctic Muck Boots keep my feet warm! Sciscoe creek, Yellowwood State Forest, Brown County.”
