Retreat Woods

(C) 2018 Dale DiMauro

This watercolor is inspired by a snowshoe through the Brattleboro Retreat woods in late January. I was struck by the warmth of the light on the snow and the bark of the nearby trees. There is this quality etched in my memory of the glow from the sun at a point in time like no other. In contrast, the background of woods has a cool yet preserved quality to them.

I started this picture before my wife and I went on a trip to Washington, D.C., last week. In my mind this watercolor was moving along nicely. However, right now I am little stalled with it's progress as I come back to it. Part of the issue is that most of the winter-like qualities that stir in my mind had begun to disappear as much of the snow around here has shrunk.

There is more to do to get this picture to where I would like it to be. However, when it comes to depicting nature I try to be true to the source. The spatial patterns and colorations I cannot make up or at least, I try to learn from, being outside in nature.