Painting in Winter: John Shea comments

Winter is my most productive season as I seek out images to paint. I find the landscape much more interesting as the bare trees have a linear quality that compliments the many architectural subjects that I prefer. Outside my window Newboro Lake is frozen and the woods are still but inside the fire is warm and the many photos I have taken lay scattered on my studio table just waiting to be interpreted. January will see several new images in the gallery, with of course winter as the theme.

John Shea
January 2009


















John Shea is a watercolour artist who paints 'architectural portraits' set in landscapes. He has taught art in Perth for the past 24 years. Prior to teaching, he worked as an architectural renderer, which is reflected in his love of portraying local heritage buildings. Shea studied at the School of Art & Design at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Syracuse University and Queen's University in Kingston.

Plein Air Painting in Winter: Charles Spratt Comments

As an artist, I count myself blessed to live in Canada where we celebrate four distinct seasons.
A Canadian winter is special. It’s a time for Mother Nature to pause and gather energy for the renewal that begins each spring. When temperatures plunge, it provides artists, like myself, the opportunity to retreat to our studios to paint, to reflect on the direction of our work and to make plans for the coming year.

And winter landscape has its own special beauty of course. Picture sun’s rays dancing through a snow-laden forest, blue purple shadows stretching out as the shortened days retreat to evening glow and chimney smoke from snow-covered houses rising straight up into a clear Cerulean sky.

That is reason why I keep returning to Algonquin Park each winter: To experience winter in all its beauty surrounded by the silence and solitude. But it’s more than that. It’s a time for introspection and renewal - to rediscover my place in that frozen landscape, as an artist, and to rekindle the sense of wonder and peace that I find there.

Hopefully, my paintings reflect this creative journey that lasts a lifetime.

Charles Spratt
January 2009
Charles Spratt is an award winning painter whose best loved subjects are rural Ontario and Quebec. The ships and harbours of the East Coast, cityscapes and portraits are also a passion for him. With over twenty-five solo exhibitions in Toronto and Ottawa since 1980, his masterful works are in high demand.The artist has taught portrait and landscape painting for Ontario colleges and appeared on television numerous times. He is author of the book "From Oils to Watercolour". Charles Spratt's new works will be featured in a major solo exhibition at Tay River Gallery in June 2009.

Painting in Winter: Tricia Savoie Comments

Winter is not my favourite season, although I love painting winter scenes.
Getting out ‘Plein Air’ painting in winter is a bit of a challenge – I suffer from the cold with my feet and especially my hands getting cold extremely quickly due to rather poor circulation.
I find our Canadian winters just a bit too long. I certainly do not mind the snow, in fact like it, as it seems to warm things up – but I dislike the frigid temperatures. I would like winter to start mid December and end around the end of March, and have the temperature not go below –10C during that period. Do you think I am pipe dreaming? Probably.

I have been out painting in the winter, but usually have to stay in my car to do so and just paint small ‘sketches’ due to the above mentioned reason of hands freezing quickly. I dislike painting with gloves on, but find it an absolute necessity when it gets close to 0 degrees. My best outdoor winter experience is not being completely outdoors.
When going to the E.C.O.A.A. winter paint-out at Bark Lake (near Irondale), the cafeteria has windows around its 3 sides, and you have a view of either the lake, or the swamp, or the road to the cabins to paint, but in the warmth of inside. You can also paint inside the studio, which has windows on two sides with other wonderful views.

There are occasions in winter when we have a warm spell, with no biting winds, and you can get outside to paint for short stretches of time, which I have enjoyed greatly. Sometimes with the sun shining, reflecting off of the snow, you are almost too warm. But no complaints here.

With regards to studio painting during the winter, again – I don’t mind as I have at least 2 groups that I paint with indoors so there is comraderie and friendship going on through-out the winter months, as well as painting alone in my studio. With one group, we put up slides (mostly winter scenes in the winter) and depending on where you stand (or sit) depends on your perspective of the scene – not unlike being outside, but with more comfort.

Tricia Wilmot Savoie
January 2009


Tricia Savoie is a prolific landscape painter with a passion for colour and light and painting outdoors,"en plein air". Savoie has received many awards for her paintings and is a member of a number of area art associations. She teaches art for the City of Ottawa in various locations. Her works have wide appeal with frequent art buyers in Ontario and also hang in private and corporate collections in the United States, Great Britain, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Germany and across Canada.

Plein Air Painting in Winter: J. Allison Robichaud comments

Winter painting is not any different than any other time of the year. It requires a few more preparations than the warmer climate. The first requirement is to compel yourself to go out and paint. On the 31st of Dec 2008, I went out to do the last painting of the year - the temperature was -16 with a 20km wind giving a wind chill in the -20s.

To go out and paint in this extreme means one thing and only one thing, you win over yourself and the next time it is easier to go and do the thing you love best, painting! Weather stops being a challenge when you challenge yourself.

Prepare and set your palette before you leave the house, if not, you will have an much difficulty squeezing tubes of paint with gloves and if you use your bare hands, it won't be long until your fingers are stiff and difficult to use. At sub zero it takes very little time until your fingers are not working right which then leads to all sorts of difficulties, quitting then rages in your mind. Think of canvas size, every second you save, is that much time less out there. Check every aspect of your equipment, the least little discouragement throws you off your creative exuberance. Canvas size, to me doesn't make any difference, the big ones take as long to paint as the smaller ones.

It is best to have a general idea where and what you are looking for so as to not waste any time, since in winter it is often easier to quit the whole idea because of the intense cold. -3 or -10 is not cold. just slightly uncomfortable. REMEMBER ONE THING, IF YOU FEEL COLD SEEPING IN YOUR BODY CORE, GET OUT OF THERE IMMEDIATELY!

Each person has their own preference for clothing, it is not a time to be stylish. Layers of woolen clothing, topped with windproof ski pants and a windproof down/exceptional fill jacket, heavy winter boots and wool socks, a toque which is meant to keep the heat in. Gloves and mitts, I use both, the hand with the mitt is my rag hand (I use only rags, paper towels are too difficult to manage, for me in extreme cold ) this hand has a wool mitt in a leather mitt). Most of the time I do not use a glove on my brush hand, because from early November I start to condition my left hand to be tough to the cold, by not wearing a glove on my walk or shoveling snow, or anything else I may be doing outside.

Hand warmers are available at Canadian Tire where the hunting gear is - they are good, I have one and I also have a heat sink belt, activated in the microwave, which in very, very cold January days I may put on. All of the above is before you leave the house, so it requires a bit of thinking to ensure you have forgotten nothing. You can take a thermos, but I never do, I find I really don't have time to drink, since speed in execution of the painting is the primary goal.

Painting outside in the winter is not noodling time, it is fast broad strokes, paint loaded with medium for maximum slide, lots of rags for wipe outs, little or no drawing, suggesting large shapes and the search for complete simplicity. It really is a dance; you ! the universe, all your equipment ready for the absolute joy of being there doing what no one but you can do, creating a masterpiece of our Canadian landscape, and winning over yourself. It is an honour to be out there on a good nose running cold Canadian winter's day. That's what painters have always done.

J. Allison Robichaud.
January 2009


J. Allison Robichaud is an accomplished plein air painter who has earned the respect of fellow artists and fine art collectors alike, across Canada. He has had 24 solo exhibitions and has participated in some of Canada's most prestigious art symposiums.Allison Robichaud is an elected member of the Institute of Figurative Arts (IFA) and author of "The Reflective Stepping Stones of a Painter. published in 2002. His landscapes and still life paintings are highly collected.

Painting in Winter: James E. Pay comments

Since arriving in Nova Scotia 18 months ago, I have painted outdoors more than ever before, although I have always enjoyed it. Mostly, the en plein air painting is in the summer and early fall. For me, winter is studio painting time. Since I'm older now, the hands no longer can hold a brush in cold weather so all my sketching and painting is done through summer and autumn when the warm ocean tides moderate our temperatures. My wife, Eileen, a great photographer, can still add to my resources in winter with our treks outdoors here, so whatever season, there is never a lack of images to paint. Actually, winter inspires most artists. It is when most art clubs meet and mingle and when lots of paintings are accomplished. There is still something cosy about being inside in winter, looking out, hearing the wind, seeing the coldness and trying the capture it all on canvas. That is what inspires me.

James E. Pay
January 2009

James E. Pay trained as an artist in Canada, UK and USA and lists the late A.J. Casson as his mentor. James is a signature member of the United Society of Artists, (UA)London, England and former vice-chairman of Central Arts, Scotland. He is known for his loose style of watercolour painting,acrylic landscapes and florals. He is a skilled art teacher and conducts painting workshops in Nova Scotia.

Painting & Winter: Mary Nunn comments

When I first heard of hibernation in grade school; I thought it was a brilliant idea and always wanted to adopt it for myself.

I’m a studio painter, my work starts from a word, a mental picture or idea or something that I like the look of. From that point the process becomes an intimate one of honest dialogue between me and my art tools. There are rapid periods of intuitive work, play with colours, line and shapes; much longer periods of reflection and evaluation of the next step in the process to a finished piece.

The winter weather keeps me grounded to my home and studio so there is often a breakthrough to a new place in my WINTER WORK.

Mary Nunn.
January 2009
Mary Nunn is an accomplished watermedia artist and gifted teacher who has conducted watercolour/media workshops throughout Canada and the United States since 1984. Vibrant colour is a strong bias in her expressive works. She has exhibited widely in both commercial and public galleries. Mary Nunn is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) since 2003.

Painting in Winter: Debbie Milling comments

"My studio has large windows that allow me to enjoy a wonderful and often fairylike view of the Rideau River. The winter is the most productive time for me as I have very little desire to be outside and love to sit in my studio by my woodstove cocooning and painting at the same time. The light that floods my studio is magnificent simply because of the way it reflects off the snow and the way it changes as it moves through the day. I spend the rest of the year primarily doing research and collecting a vast number of open air sketches and photos which provide me with the material to paint in my studio during winter. As most of my work is of spring to summer subjects, I can often place myself in the warmth and the sun just by painting the subjects even though it is 20 below outside!"

Debbie Milling
January 2009
Debbie Milling paints views of remote Canadian landscapes captured in her travels on horseback and by boat. Her studio overlooks the Rideau River near Ottawa. Milling has participated in several group and solo shows in Ontario and her works have been gaining recognition and can be found in public and private collections across Canada.

Thoughts on Winter Painting: Kathy Haycock comments

The Season of Snow! It is my favourite time to paint. Busy details in the foreground and beyond are covered with a gently rolling blanket, revealing patterns, shapes and lighting that can be interpreted with any colours of the palette. The weather changes constantly, the character of the landscape is refreshed daily. I can step out my door and never have to walk far for new material. Freezeup and thaw seasons are the most interesting on creeks and ponds. In January shadows are at their most delightfully longest and can stretch right across a pond. Compare that to painting in the harsh midday light of summer….. For winter painting I have a dedicated and unsightly painting outfit of warm clothes that is completely unfit for any other season or event. Oils are the only paints for winter, consistent through all temperatures, and in sleet, rain, snow and wind. In fact that’s one reason I use oils, because winter is my favourite time to paint.

Kathy Haycock
January 2009

Kathy Haycock's oil landscapes are painted on site in all seasons. Early Arctic trips with her father Arctic artist, Maurice Haycock introduced her to the lure of the North and inspired a sweeping and graceful rhythm in her work. Her subject matter is the wilderness around her – near her home close to Algonquin Park, the Canadian Arctic, and the American Southwest. Kathy Haycock is an elected member of Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) and is represented in private, public and corporate collections in Canada,USA, Europe, China and Australia.

Winter Painting: Ernest Labelle comments

Well… let’s just say, for this artist, being snowbound can be a blessing. Most of the paintings attached were painted while stuck in the house.
I remember way back when, as salesman, I travelled for Sico, out of Moncton, New Brunswick, that snow country… I was snowbound and/or stuck somewhere many times. Sometimes when stranded in small village motel, with a bunch of salesmen and colleagues, I wished I had had my brushes rather than play poker for a few days! - that’s how we occasionally passed the time – when stranded. And you know, when at home and unable to travel because of snow, I was automatically pushed toward my studio. Still works that way.
Lately, we’ve been stuck in the house and I took advantage of this situation to produce paintings I had promised, and (or) for Xmas gifts. "Spice bottles" (painting below) is one of those, and no – there is no snow on it.
I also agreed to do a scene of Wakefield Train Station – this one is a winter scene (painting top left).

When I look out my window and see the City bogged down by snow and in addition – the bus strike – it gives me good reason to stay indoor and paint.
Painting is my “private evacuation route”.
It doesn’t matter what reason I might have to want to evacuate… weather, bad news, market, illness in family, or just plain “being down”, as soon as I start painting, I forget the world. I just take a plunge into my canvas and forget all the nasty little things that flew my way when I got out of bed, including bad weather. Time goes by so fast and my paintings turn out OK. Guess I’m fortunate.
“Bring on the snow – lock me up – but don’t take my brushes away!”
There is nothing in the world that will distract me or make me paint negative things when I need to “evacuate”. And it does not have to be a winter scene.
I remember – speaking of evacuation – back in Florida, when we used to spend winter in the South – the complex we dwelled in was evacuation-free. It had been built to resist hurricanes – and it did very well. So I managed to round up a few artists of the complex and meet in the “Party Room” and paint…while everyone else “ran like fools and went nowhere…!” we watched the wind from inside tossing garbage cans, plastic lawn furniture, palm tree branches… and gradually forgot all about it and just “painted”..!

So.. bottom line… “Being snowbound, hurricane bound, or just plain immobilized… are just good excuses to pull out brushes and paint…!” I welcome snow storms! I don’t wish for them but I do welcome them. Provides opportunity to “evacuate”. I love watching it fall from a window. In my younger days, I used to go walking in winter storms.
I have pictures of the Sparks Street Mall with a whole lot of people walking around. It’s a summer scene. I think I will turn it into a happy winter shopping spree! Why not? Beats moping because weather is bad!
Stressful moments are not welcome… - but – they can be overcome and turned into productive activities for a painter or artist, or anyone, for that matter. Stressfull moments do, however, pop up, so let’s use them.
My advice to all artists
“Don’t let winter storms stop you or even slow you down – use them to your best advantage – you will be surprised the benefits you will draw… from peace of mind to great paintings!”

Ernest F. Labelle
January 2009

Ernest Labelle is a guest artist featured at Tay River Gallery. Ernest Labelle paints a variety of subject matter including old architecture, street scenes and rural landscapes with primary attention to colour and contrast in a loose style and pleasing earthy palette.He has directed workshops, teaching art in Ottawa, Gatineau, Montreal, Baie-St-Paul since 1990.

Plein-air Painting in Winter: John Alexander Day comments

What can I say about winter, but I look forward to it coming, particularly because being an artist I get excited by the first snowfall and I think of the painting opportunities it brings with it. Although the fall has its leaves and bright colours, this season is also brings out the artist to paint. Scenes I might pass by in the warmer months I might not give a second look may well have been transformed into something extraordinary by its winter blanket. Winter truly transforms the ordinary and makes it spectacular.

Being an artist who works plein air can be at this time of year uncomfortable with the colder temperatures, but if you dress for the occasion then the results are well worth it. A few people might they say snow has no colour, but if you paint outside like me you will find it has very reflective qualities and colour bounces off it in the most incredible ways. From the sky, the trees, buildings, the sun, and even bright colored clothing from people can all add to a scene. These subtleties would be totally lost if you take a photo of the same scene.

Winter can offer the same opportunities as in the fall but in a different way, you just have to look for it. Depending on the weather and how cold it is might determine the size I would paint. So in other words I work smaller when it is really cold as I need to warm up, a large flask of hot coffee certainly helps here.

There are certain things you have to be careful of when painting outdoors in winter, such as the spot you are standing will soon get packed down and icy surprisingly quickly. On more than one occasion upon standing back to view my progress, I slipped backwards and hit ground with a thud and my brushes were sent flying into to air! Good thing is there no one around usually to see you "flat out" on the snow, so your dignity still remains intact!

Once I am out painting in winter it never seems as cold as I first imagined and I always come home feeling I have experienced something.

John Alexander Day
January 2009


John Alexander Day is an accomplished painter with over twenty years painting experience who prefers to paint outdoors to capture the qualities of light and atmosphere in his paintings. Day captures the character of his settings using his characteristic strong brushwork. John Day is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA) and is a highly collected artist.