"Cut Corn" Watercolor Sketch (6.5" x 3.5" or so)
I didn’t realize how much I’d missed the snow covered ground and the extreme contrast of the winter landscape until today. We haven’t had much snow here in Upstate New York this season and even in Downtown Albany where I work – only 40 miles away – there is no snow. But up here at my house if there’s a chance of snow I have a good chance of getting some here at this high elevation.
It’s beautiful really. As I drove around today past the Old Tater Barn on Route 30A the cut corn stalks poked their heads out of the snow. It is interesting and exciting to me. The distant hills in shades of blue-gray with row after row of raw sienna corn stalks are all color mixing challenges for me. I try and try but never can get it just right. Nature knows her color mixture and isn’t sharing the combination with me. I will not be deterred though and count winter landscapes as one of my favorite subjects to paint in watercolor.
The rows of cut corn converging in the distance drew me in and inspired me to snap lots of photos for reference to be used later. There’s a whole world of things to paint and inspiration can be found everywhere! Having freed myself recently of certain expectations with regard to my art I’m finding that painting these little sketches is great fun and a real education.
That’s what creating art should be… joyful, fun, peace filled and meditative as we tap into our Zen and commune with God.
Loving this watercolour – I feel as though I’m actually there with that feeling of the cold fresh air and the hard ground crunching under my feet. Thank you Rainey, I enjoyed the outing.