Walk on water

The last day of February in Lancaster county in recent years has often been a spring like day, sometimes with early crocus poking up through the ground, no snow in sight. Not this year. While we have been spared the brutal dumpings of snow that have fallen relentlessly in upstate New York and across New England, it's most definitely still winter and the ground is coated in a heavy crust of snow.

I've been too busy with an abundance of work to feel like I could make time for any contemplative trampings through the trees along the river in the last month, but this morning Linda and I threw on a few layers, pulled on our boots, stepped out into the 19 degree sunshine and walked down to the snowy woods. Feeling guilty for not drawing and posting on my blog for over a month, I had my shoulder bag loaded with sketchbook and pencils, and a plastic kitchen bag in my back pocket to sit on. 

As we crested the railroad berm and the river came into view, we could see that it had become a lumpy moonscape of ice jams blanketed unevenly with snow. A few hundred yards along the trail, I crossed through the trees and picked my way tenously until I was about 50 yards out on the frozen river. Spread my garbage bag out on a seat sized promontory of ice, sat down and sketched from a vantage point that warm weather will obliterate.

sitting on the river, photo by Linda Bartlett

I know why I haven't been able to make much time for art that isn't connected to my design work this winter, but as I squinted into the blinding snow and icescape in front of me, I remembered how essential it is to my emotional well being to get my butt out and do this as often as possible. The delight of seeing deeper into the world around me, whether an outdoor vista or a shadowy room, nourishes me in a way that nothing else can.

Anyhow, here's this morning's sketch. Maybe I can manage to get another one up here before a whole month passes again.

sitting on the Susquehanna, 11-1/2 x 8, Derwent Inktense pencils