Snow in Prescott, AZ
We get a little excited here in Prescott when it snows (“we” as in my little family). Everything looks fresh and new. The forests look coated with frosting and the rocks are glazed with icing.
This is only about an inch of snow at Thumb Butte near Prescott, AZ. My son loved hiking up the trail and stomping on clumps of snow. My 1.5 year old makes experiencing life new again, just like this fresh coat of snow on the ground.
We hiked up the trail a little ways and then drove further west for some unique views of the back of Thumb Butte (the panorama represents that perspective). I remember as a kid growing up in Prescott when we got snow. It was usually a snow day, a day off of school because it doesn’t take much snow to make the roads in the hills of Prescott treacherous. Maybe that’s where the excitement of snow in Prescott comes from, a snow day! We are supposed to get a lot moisture this winter from the El Nino effect in the Pacific, more snow for Prescott? I hope so. Some folks in Prescott might not wish for snow, they moved here to get away from it.
Painting Snow
As an artist, snow gives new inspiration to old places. Snow isn’t easy to paint, I don’t just use white paint. Snow reflects colors and needs to turn toward warmth or cool depending on the lighting. A fun thing about painting snow is the abstract qualities natural forms take on. The tricky thing is not to overdo it, let the paint mimic snow. Here is an example of a recent painting of snow in Sedona:
“Hot and Cold” 14×24 oil
You can see the contrast of colors that make the snow take on dimension. The shadows are mostly toward blue and the highlights take on warmer colors. Here is one more snow painting to get in the mood for winter:
“Winter Song” 8×10 oil
Let it snow, Prescott!