If you follow the road past the old vacation homes in Indianola, WA, through the big fir woods and past the Methodist Church camp, you come to a beautiful estuary that is virtually untouched. When I asked the caretaker of the camp for permission to paint, he explained to me that the Suquamish Tribe owns most of the land in and around the estuary. For that reason, it’s protected as a wildlife refuge and hasn’t been developed.
It was a cold morning when I set up my tripod and made a pencil sketch. Luckily I was able to wear Guy’s warm ski parka that kept the wind off and kept me toasty. The tide was just past high, and the sloughs in the estuary were full of water when I started. The trees on the far side of the marsh grass were reflected in the water, making for a good composition. A line of white driftwood logs bordered the trees.
You not only felt the cold, you captured it.
Thanks, Warren. I enjoyed painting in the cold as long as my parka kept me warm. Painting winter scenes with dormant foliage is a challenge, but these scenes have their own beauty.
I love the stories behind each picture. You’re doing bays and beaches in winter, enough for a beautiful postcard collection.
Thank you! I enjoy writing about my plein air experiences. Who knows, maybe a postcard collection could happen.