February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest
February Snow
February 6, 2022 in Yellowwood State Forest
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Signature
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.”
And here is the finished painting:
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.
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