Until last week, I had managed to avoid outdoor painting from the first really chilly days in autumn until it started to warm up in April. I would venture outdoors for a walk and photo shoot on a pleasant afternoon, especially after a snowstorm but then would scurry back to my cozy studio and paint indoors.

I attribute my new courage to try outdoor winter painting to becoming a member of Artists in the Parks and being informed that one of their events each year would be a silent auction art show held under a tent in the middle of the Knickerbocker Ice Festival at Rockland Lake in Congers, NY. One of the requirements for being in the show was that one work must be painted on location at the lake on the first day of the event. Today was the day.

Very luckily, today was a sunny, calm day around 36-40 degrees--colder, when I first arrived. Not daring to make my very first attempt on the day of the event, I decided two weeks ago that the next slightly warm day I could get there, I would head up to the lake and see how I fared. Last week after bundling up in many layers, I met an artist friend at the lake and we worked on a painting. I lasted about 2 hours on location before I was chilled through. That painting is shown in my New Works Collection and is called Cold, Crisp Day.

Today, I figured out some warmer head gear and had both fingerless rag gloves and insulated gloves so I could always have something on my hands as I set up and worked. I added more warmth to my legs but now have learned that I really need heavy ski pants with long underwear underneath to stay warm for hours. Luckily, it was a bit warmer today and, especially because I knew I had to completely finish, I kept going for about 3 or more hours before quitting. I loved the scene I chose to paint (Rocky Shoreline at Rockland Lake) and see that there are wonderful subdued colors in the winter landscape.

I'll be back for more now that I've "broken the ice."