Preparing for Winter Art Show – Watercolor Ornament and Seasonal Paintings

Preparing for Winter Art Show – Watercolor Ornament and Seasonal Paintings

​At today’s Night Heron artist meeting, we were asked to create ornaments to display at the upcoming winter art show. I wasn’t sure at first what medium to use, but I soon found myself reaching for watercolor. It’s the medium that always feels closest to my emotions — gentle, transparent, and alive. The way water spreads pigment on paper feels just like the way seasons quietly shift from one to another. So I decided to paint a small, hand-cut ornament — something simple but full of warmth.

As I began painting, the form naturally took shape — layers of colors melting into one another, forming a soft, jewel-like pattern reminiscent of a handmade Christmas ornament. The color transitions happened almost by themselves, blending red, green, and brown tones into a subtle glow. When it dried, the ornament seemed to hold a faint light within it, like a memory of winter mornings. Looking at it, I realized again that the year is turning quickly. It’s hard to believe Christmas is already approaching, and yet my heart feels ready for it — calm, expectant, and grateful.

​Today’s work wasn’t just about making a decoration. It felt like the beginning of something — the start of preparing for the winter art show. Each year, I create new works inspired by the seasons, but when I looked back, I noticed that I didn’t have many paintings that captured winter itself. So I decided to paint more winter landscapes — scenes that carry the quiet, glowing spirit of the season.

My first attempt became a panoramic project: three watercolor paintings framed together like a continuous scene. The first one shows a soft winter sunrise — pale pink and yellow light spreading across a calm lake, trees bending gently toward the reflection. The second one captures a forest illuminated from within, where golden light filters through the branches and specks of white paint fall like snow. Both paintings hold that delicate balance of warmth and cold that I love about winter.

The last piece of the series is still in progress. In my mind, I see bare trees standing in silence, the early morning light touching the frozen ground, and the air glowing faintly between them. When finished, the three will form a quiet journey through winter — not just in scenery, but in feeling. I want viewers to feel a pause, a breath of calm, a reminder of how stillness can also be full of color.

As I worked, I couldn’t help but think about how fast time moves. It feels like the outdoor art show was just yesterday, and now I’m already painting for winter. Yet, this rhythm of change is comforting. Every season brings a new palette and a new story to tell. Living as an artist means walking with time — observing it, feeling it, and leaving traces of it in color and form.
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Winter has always felt special to me. It’s quiet, reserved, but full of hidden warmth. Like snow, it looks simple at first, but within it lies an infinite range of tones. For this winter art show, I want to capture that subtle beauty — the calm light, the slow air, the peaceful silence. If even one ornament or painting can bring someone a sense of serenity, that will be enough. There are still many pieces to finish, but working toward them already feels like a celebration — a gentle way of welcoming the winter to come.