Tree Study

5.5"X7" Marker on paper

I love drawing winter trees, they are both a challenging and a forgiving study. It is easy to get lost in the detail, but it doesn't really matter too much if you do.

Today is Groundhog Day, a quaint North American tradition that holds that if the groundhog sees his shadow when he comes out of his hole on Groundhog Day we are in for 6 more weeks of winter. There are actually official groundhogs all over the continent with names like Wiareton Willy and Punxsutawney Phil. I think it is all a bit of a moot point in Ontario where Spring is unlikely to show itself until the end of March no matter what Willy does.

This day is also Candlemas in the Christan calender and Imbolc in the pagan Celtic calendar. Whichever way you cut it we are at the very midpoint of winter, halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Things have to get better from here.