Season’s Greetings~
Being a sentimental kinda guy and a bit of a romantic, snow has always held a special place in my heart . Especially as a child, and still now, that magic of a snow covered winter wonderland fills me with aww. One time around the age of 5, near the end of winter, I filled a steel minnow bucket full of snow in hopes of saving it. Of course spring came, I opened the minnow bucket and discovered my snow had melted away. But then nothing lasts forever, a lesson learned.
Another moment in time, a childhood memory, still puts a sparkle in my eye and a smile on my face. I grew up just a few blocks away from our local outdoor skating rinks (both figure & hockey ones), a sledding hill and its warming house. An especially wonderous place when a wet & warm snow fell and covered it. In my thoughts, a faded photograph, my dad, mom, sister and myself, are figure skating, playing, laughing, and just having family fun. It’s the early to mid 70s, dad in his leather coat all smiles with his family, mom’s head & shoulders are wrapped in a wool, blue and green plaid scarf, my sister, in a fur-lined coat and ear muffs & I was in a long stocking cap, while the smell of wood burning in the fireplace at the warming house fills the air, as hockeys being played in the rink next to us, and the sound of joyous yells & giggles come from people over at the sled hill, filling my ears. Moms passed over 25 years ago, but I still wear that scarf she wore when I was a child. It’s a perfect moment lost to time & space.
Winter still holds a place of magic for me. I spend the mornings and evenings walking the pups. We are surrounded by no less then 8 parks and forest preserves within walking distance from our home. I always look forward to the first snow and more often then not try to capture it in paint. There is a pond directly behind our property. Throughout the year the birds, other wildlife and fauna change, creating ample opportunity for painting the four seasons. This was the first snow, it was heavy and at the begining of the winter season. The pond froze over, the cattails had faded, but still provided a perch and food for this lone cardinal. I set out to capture the moment, the hush and quiet of winter, a place were memories flood my mind.
With a certain spontinaiety and directness intended, using numerous paint tools, mediums and techniques this sweet little piece appeared as yet another winter memory to savor.
Your questions are welcome, as always,
Richard
‘Cardinal & Cattails’ 12”x12” oil on canvas (2014)
