Gray Day - an oil painting lesson

Gray Day was inspired by the long grueling days of winter in Northern Maine. Snow is a beautiful obstacle. It blankets the earth as far as you can see. The only open areas are the roads and driveways to your snow-banked home. This painting is about the beauty of winter, but the dark side of its length. Starting in November, and ending in April or May, the length of winter is the hardest part to adapt to. The first snow is refreshing, as is the last melt. The days are shortened by an early sunset and a late sunrise. The bare trees dance in the subzero winds. The frozen branches make a muffled click as they clang together like a music free wind chime. The winter is dark, but beautiful.