Last Snowfall—Quinault

I’m very happy to post my latest painting, and I’m particuarly thrilled with this one. Snow scenes have always been my favorite things to paint and we have a deficit of snow here in the lowlands of the Pacific Northwest. On this cold February day, Lars and I hiked in a dry riverbed at Lake Quinault. The warm russet colors of the alders glowed against the Douglas firs and snowy foreground. In the distance, forest-covered mountains receded in rank after rank dissolving into the wintry skies.  In my painting, the distant line of trees is a poignant, glowing pink against the marine blue mountains that sink back into the snowy mist, creating a strong sense of longing for me. Many have used the word “haunting” to describe the evocative quality of my paintings. I love that description. Van Gogh said he wanted to paint “the soul of things” I certainly work to do that with the landscapes I evoke.