24 days until Christmas

Waiting for melt

Down by the skating pond.

Ivan

In the wind

 Cubby

Watercolor - 2013

Commission

5" x 7" - watercolor - 2013

This is a commission for someone in Alabama, it's going in a little girls room.

Henry

Henry - 4 1/2" x 5 1/2" x 1 1/2" - acrylic on wood - 2013

This is Henry, he's one of the newest snowmen I've made. I'll be selling Henry and a whole bunch of his friends at my Etsy shop SnowmenandSanta and at several Holiday Craft Markets this season.

Here's the process I go through to create one of these snowmen.

First, I draw several snowmen on a piece of luan wood.

Next, I cut out the snowmen with a scroll saw.

Then the luan is lightly sanded and painted with gesso.

I then have to redraw some of the details that have been covered by the gesso.

The snowman is then painted.

Once the snowman is complete I cut a piece of wood for the background, then it's sanded and gessoed.

I paint the sky and snowdrift and when that's dry I add the falling snow.

Once everything is painted it has to be assembled; I add a sawtooth hanger then glue a wooden spacer to the front of the piece. When the glue is slightly set I also add a coarse-thread screw to permanently affix the spacer to the background. 

Later I glue the snowman to the spacer and the piece is nearly complete. 

The last bit of business is choosing a name for the snowman and signing my name to the back of the piece.

An evening visitor

4 1/4" x 5 1/2" - watercolor - 2013

Snowflakes - yesterday morning

Looking North

Enjoying the weather

4 1/4" x 5 1/2" watercolor - 2013

Yesterday morning on the walk to work from the train station, I experienced some of the first flakes of the season.

A winter visitor brightens the fading light.

Like the lamplight, this little fellow adds a bit of cheer to the deepening gloom.

This fellow welcomes the first flakes of a new snow.

Snowmen

3" x 3" Oil on canvas -2012

Winter's Delights

Last winter we didn't have a lot of snow but there's no denying that winter offers some unique delights.

Gearing up for another season of snowmen.

Big Batch

These were all painted over the December 2nd to 4th weekend. I spent the weekend with friends and during the day we worked on their family's Christmas tree farm in western New Jersey. Folks come and pick out Christmas trees and then we cut them down, net them and tie them atop their cars. Even if the weather is cold I love spending the time outdoors, the farm has an incredible view of a valley that makes me think of Wyeth paintings.

November's Snow

 

This fella has a colorful winter friend.

 

As twilight deepens this cardinal pauses by our silent friend. 

 

This fellow stands towards the back of the yard near the three pines.

The New Crew

This guy is ready for the clean up.

Snowman and Snowman

This one is a commission - my friend wanted a winter birthday card for her friend.

Found File

I just found this file from 2009 - obviously done (rather garishly) in Photoshop.

This was going to be our Christmas card but I don't remember if I printed any.

The M & M Carolers wish you a Merry Christmas!

 

This piece was created in collaboration with a very special artist, my 12 year-old daughter.

She did the drawing and I handled the paints.