A Cure for the Common Cold

Perspectives from The Artist's Road

Pears in Repose Oil John Hulsey

Now that many of us have entered the darkest and coldest part of the year, we face the challenge of what to do when the weather makes it impossible to work outdoors. Unlike those of you who enjoy a warm, southern locale, we northern painters generally adopt the habits of the bear and hibernate in our studios, only to emerge in spring, pale and hungry for the landscape we have been dreaming about all winter.

Winter is the time when we can enthusiastically turn to still life work, free from the guilt we normally associate with painting indoors on a beautiful, warm day. Cozy and wind-free at last, we can afford to take our time and immerse ourselves comfortably in our subject. In our north-facing windows, the winter light is wonderfully steady and cool all day long, and with a bit of artificial illumination, can be used to create a dramatically-lit still life.

But, what to paint? Flowers are a perennial favorite of art…