As the year 2016 draws to an end, I look at my collection of landscapes and I notice several things:

1.It’s good to have goals and to reach them. I have never in my life painted as many landscapes as this year. Yes, some of them are just studies and a lot of them could be improved on greatly. But nevertheless, I can see growth. I see, where one  brush stroke put down right the first time can have great impact. I see, that going over it again doesn’t make things better.  Some of the paintings even show distance and atmosphere. Most works were done without  a pencil outline. That has helped my brush handling skills.

 2.Alaska is beautiful! I like the German valley we live in right now. However, it’s very narrow and sometimes one gets claustrophobic in it compared to the vast space  in Alaska. Having painted a lot of Alaskan scenes lately is not only due to the fact, that I miss the state and the friends that call it their home. It’s also because a lot of my reference photos are from Alaska and they have been begging me to paint them for years now. For example, there was this day in September of 2012 when my brother came for a visit. We drove out to Hatcher Pass. The drive itself was horrible, as my children couldn’t stop fighting in the car. But what amazing scenery awaited us at the pass! It was termination dust happening: We arrived after the first snowstorm of the season. The dark clouds made way to the brightest sunshine possible. I have been trying to paint the bright blue mountain as it appeared that day and finally in the painting: “After the snowstorm” I captured it. I know, painting the scene back then at the pass would have been the better way to go, but it was just not possible at the time. It’s one of my new year’s resolutions for 2017: Plein Air Painting (Painting the things in front of you, outside, on the spot).

3.Coming back to my “narrow valley” comment. This summer our whole family hiked this valley and we are starting to have a little broader view of it. (You’ll see more paintings in about four years). As one of my children put it: “ I didn’t know this town was so big”. Nothing compares to Black Forest meadows in sunlight contrasted with the “black forest”. I’m still working on getting the greens right. It’s one step closer to plein air painting when you actually put your feet on the ground instead of taking pictures out of the car window. There is more of a connection between you and the landscape. As far as connecting goes: For the Alaskan friends who actually read this blog: We are slowly connecting here, one conversation at a time. It is where we are supposed to be at this time. One day soon we’ll have a guest room in the house and are hoping to have visitors from Alaska. So come see us! But remember: Announce thyself first as I only find time to paint by not cleaning the house.

Now all that’s left to do this year is to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!