Winter Forest Cardinals

"Winter Forest Cardinals" 30"w x 24"h, $600, Duluth Art Institute

Here is my painting for the Duluth Art Institute's Annual Membership show. This piece is titled Winter Forest Cardinals and features six bright red cardinals perched on birches at a lake. The snow covered shoreline has large bluestone boulders scattered across it's icy blue and white speckled surface. There are several underbrush visible in the foreground and background, and I have fun playing with the color value of the cobalt and ultramarine blues to give the depth I was after. The moon is offset to the left and sparkles across the lake which is rich in deep blue color. The moon radiates across the sky with gradually intensifying color value and is the focal point of the piece. There is also a subtle distant ridge if you look at the sky closely. This landscape is reminiscent of the endless subzero weather we've had  here that's been giving all of us cabin fever. Winter's icy grip won't last however, and soon spring will arrive and old man winter will have to move north. I'm already anxiously awaiting the spring trout run in Amity Creek and Lester River, can't wait to teach my kids how to fly fish ... and since we're stuck inside a couple more months ... how to paint. :)