As our unusually cold temperatures dipped into the low 20’s (had frozen pipes yesterday) I’m thinking it’s time to post my last winter scene of the season and move onto warmer subjects.
The last winter painting of the season is an oil pastel (8×10) painted on a gessoed prepared hardboard. I’m not one to paint animals but I thought why not give sheep a try in a snow scene. Most of the oil pastels used were Holbeins (layer on hardboard beautifully), neopastels and a few Senneliers.
The scene was inspired by a summer photograph of sheep grazing on a hillside (Roy Simmons was the photographer of pmp). When I first saw the image I imagined a snow scene so I went about recreating a warm winter scene, as well as adding a few trees here and there.
Hope everyone stays warm . . . enjoy!
Oil Pastels by Mary 
This is gorgeus , Mary! ❤️
I specially love the sky colors😃
Thank you Violet – the sky carried me through the journey of this piece.
But winters are so beautiful, if experienced vicariously though carrot-nosed snowmen and mummified children (how many layers can they reasonably endure?) from thousands of miles south and in a place where temperature is not, as a practical matter, measured in degrees Kelvin. Yes, I love winters.
But Mary, have you considered that painting warmer scenes, such as tropical beaches and swaying palm trees, may only serve to intensify your sensation of cold. I say face your troubles head on and paint the most frigid landscape you can imagine. That, dear Mary, will warm you.
Besides, you are so good at painting winter scenes…
Thank you my friend, I might have to turn out a few more winter scenes based on your and others comments. But Ariel’s Prospero for those of us experiencing the cold of winters’ grip a warmer climate is never far from our thoughts as we dream of warm breezes and sparkling waters ~ thank you for your beautiful comment.
Stunning work of ART!!!!
Thanks for your generous comment!!
🙂
Hello Mary! Beautiful as always! I love your blog this is why I decided to nominate you to for a Sunshine Blogger Award! http://mooncolors.wordpress.com/2014/01/08/a-sunshine-award/
Thank you Maria for your kind words and award. I’m behind on 4 right now, but will do my best to get this done. Appreciate the consideration!
Wow you have a lot of work! 🙂 no worries tale all the time you need!
I like the sheep, stay warm, Annie
Thanks Annie!!
A welcome serene scene:) I especially love the color in the sky!
Thank you Elena for mentioning the sky, it became a favorite part of the scene for me.
Love it, Mary: I particularly like the juxtaposition of white on white, which contributes to the high key, wintry feel of the scene. Great job as always!
Stay warm – here the temperatures dropped to 1F! Brrrrr…
Thank you Stefano, appreciate your feedback and read on the scene. With oil pastels a lot of white has to be laid down first for snow and then comes layers of colors in various value ranges will be worked in. In this case light ochre, salmon, gold tones and very light purples/blues were used leaving more white showing in places closer to the foreground. Very difficult to get good representation with my camera, but I really enjoyed your review of the whites! Thanks very much.
Mary, wow! this is fantastic work! I had not gathered the courage to paint white on white. This, I think is the most difficult thing to do, and you have accomplish it beautifully! Love it! 😀
Thanks Patricia for your feedback and comments – I’m still finding my way around snow from value ranges to colors, could do another 100 scenes and still learn something new about painting it. Thank you very much for your positive encouragement ~
I know what you mean! There is so much to learn.
Very creative! Anyone can do sheep in a green pasture – well, I couldn’t in any setting. I too am ready for warmer weather but I just read another post about the beautiful winter colors and then I find yours. Perhaps it is a sign for me to appreciate each day more. Thanks for the inspiration. It is not nearly that cold here!
Wonderful comment, thanks so much. Well I’ve never painted sheep before, but on this one I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to put them in a little snow and have at with warm and cool colors – was fun. It’s starting to warm back up here, your southern winds will be blowing up this way, thank goodness and it might even rain the rest of the week which is unusual for us in North Texas, but a very good thing!
Beautiful wintry pastoral scene Mary !
Frozen pipes … OH my …
Thanks Poppy – it was nice to paint snow on a slightly bigger surface. We are in for a thaw the rest of the week 50’s and 60’s – TX homes weren’t built for the cold temps.
Sure hope these are ending up in galleries – really fine aesthetics to these.
You are so nice Craig, thank you for the vote of confidence! This one is a bit different from my usual ~ thanks for your wonderful comment.
I think with such great painting you packing winter a bit early.. I rather you paint few more while you got the hang of it and try a sun dance instead.
Thank you Doron – I know I probably should do several more snow paintings. Maybe I’ll tackle one or two more at the end of January, we’ll see how things go.
Sound good but don’t leave too long you might be few inches under this thick stuff unable to move the brush.. Just kidding, looking forward.
Gorgeous Mary!
Thanks Tim, much appreciated! Are you guys getting any of this cold? Rest of the week we’ll be heating back up to the 50’s and 60’s – wonderful warming trend!
Not in this round. We’ve been in the 60s and 70s the last couple weeks.
Nope, it’s been nice here the last couple weeks, in the 60s and 70s.
beautiful work…..
Thanks Rob for your nice comment!!