Happy Spring from The White Mountains!

Happy Spring from The White Mountains!

Winter is slowly losing its grip on the hills and valleys of New Hampshire, though the mountain peaks are still locked in snow and ice. I have been busy in my studio for much of the season, but our small backyard maple sugaring operation has pulled me away until mid-April. Plus, there are plenty of painting events in which to take part, even before the warm weather arrives. Here is what has happened so far this year and what’s coming up for spring!

I Went to Snowcamp! (…and Did Not Freeze)

For the past sixteen years, artist Stapleton Kearns has led an outdoor painting workshop here in the White Mountains in the middle of February. This year about a dozen painters from around New England gathered at the Sunset Hill House in Sugar Hill, NH to brave the cold, face the wind, and paint to our heart’s content (or until we couldn’t feel our fingers anymore). For three days, we watched “Stape” demonstrate his techniques, painted out in twenty degree sunshine, coped with snow squalls and stayed as warm as we could manage in cloudy damp weather.

Since we were painting in oils, no, our paint did not freeze, but you sure had to watch out for any exposed skin while standing outside for hours each day. It helped to have other artists to cheer each other on and to celebrate our triumphs (and failures!). I made new friends chatting over morning coffee and evening meals, all while getting great instruction and advice. It was a really fun, unique challenge; unlike any other workshop I’ve taken so far. I will be going outside to paint in the snow again!

Coming Up…Wet Paint Tamworth

Plein air painting already seems to be a theme this year. My next outdoor painting event is Wet Paint Tamworth, where I have been invited to join a group of artists painting all around Tamworth, NH from Sunday, April 27th through Wednesday, April 30th. Rain or shine, we’ll be out and about carrying on the tradition of landscape painting in this lovely corner of the White Mountains. Come wander and say hello if you’re in the area!

On Tuesday evening, April 29th there will be a “Meet the Artists” Wet Paint Sale with live music at The Preserve at Chocorua. I can’t wait to see what everyone else paints and to meet up with some of my artist buddies for this half week of plein air fun.
Learn More About This Event! 

A Little Spring Cleaning

I’m holding a Studio Clearance Sale from now until April 23rd. You’ll find a special Spring Studio Clearance section on the website featuring a couple dozen paintings from my back catalog. All are marked down anywhere from 25% to 40%. There’s a little bit of everything from the last few years and I hope you discover the perfect piece for your home.

All of the work in the sale is framed and ready to hang. Priced as marked, and no discount code is required. Check it out and see what catches your eye.
Shop the Sale!

And That’s The News…

For now, anyway! I hope to be out and about hiking and painting a lot this year. I’ve already booked an artist retreat with a bunch of pals for early summer, and I am waiting to hear about residencies for which I applied. In the meantime, I’ll be boiling sap to make maple syrup this month, starting vegetable seeds indoors for the garden season to come, and working on lots of paintings started in the studio this winter. I hope to see you out on the trails as the weather warms here in the White Mountains!

Happy Trails!

-Rebecca