Beech in Winter, watercolour, 2007
This drawing
is actually a combination of two paintings about the winter forest on a sunny
day. Small beech trees like the one in
the inset image are striking because they do not lose all their leaves. Those that remain will dry and turn a bright orangey-rust
colour that contrasts so beautifully with the grey bark and blue tree shadows
all around. The blue snow shadows make an amazing striped pattern in the bush
especially on hilly terrain. The little
bird on the text page is a white-breasted nuthatch; a very friendly type of
bird that makes a funny honking sound.