Friday, March 25, 2016

953 Spring Migration

From March 27th, 2008.
I set up at Mallorytown Landing on the ice just east of the "Bateaux Museum". The ice was still solid. This kept me out of the chilly wind but still gave me a great view to the northeast down the mighty St Lawrence River. The air was full of the sounds of spring. Robins and red winged blackbirds were singing but the chanting honks of migrating Canada geese really set the tone. I had no intention of painting in a flock of geese but a flock flew right into the painting. I also had no intention of putting in the multiple jet contrails but the jets just kept on flying through the scene. The billow type cloud on the south side of the one contrail suggested a strong zonal jet in excess of 125 knots. This supported the diagnosis of an approaching low pressure area. The contrails to the right (south) were casting a shadow on some lower and very thin cirrostratus which was another clue to the approaching system.

The tips of the willows turn a bright yellowish orange when the sap starts to flow. After a winter of storms, the ice was far from white and has developed odd circular patterns with the thicker drifts of snow. The colours are the subject of this piece.


http://fineartamerica.com/featured/spring-migration-phil-chadwick.html
http://fineartamerica.com/blogs/953-spring-migration.html

2 comments:

Jayne said...

Nice work - I think my fingers may freeze if I tried painting out in the cold like that :-)

The Art of Phil Chadwick said...

Actually. if there is no wind chill, those winter painting days can be the best :>)) Thank you Jayne