Winter imagery
Series of sketches “Suomi. Finland”

Technically, it is almost impossible to capture a winter landscape in watercolor en plein air. However, as an artist, I find winter colors and imagery so strong, lyrical, and attractive that I became interested in the challenge. For this project, I collected materials by photographing subjects that appealed to me and creating line sketches. The bulk of the work was completed in the studio. 

 

Winter imagery symbolizes the end of the life cycle, a time of waning life, and a pause. It is a time for philosophical reflection, as the world freezes and rests from the labors of the past year.  A crucial task was to locate colors in the monochrome and gray and an impersonal landscape to represent the natural state and life that is inherent only in winter. The goal was to find a distinct color and capture the vibration of the frosty, ringing air, depicting the contrast between the twilight and winter night and the warm evening light of the street lamps.