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Exploring the Molesworth last week while filling the very empty freezer. We started with a typical Molesworth -5 degree night after a light snowfall, but it warmed up (for the Molesworth) as the days passed. The Molesworth is a stunning high alpine dryland which I think is equal to, and possibly more beautiful than Central Otago. About 10,000 cattle cruise around the flatlands and low parts of the hills at the moment - with frost on their backs in the mornings. I feel a bit sorry for them as most nights are below 0 degrees and the Molesworth can get blasted by the wind. They don't seem to have a coat as dense as the deer - I haven't seen a frosty deer yet.
This exploration was wonderful with the light, low snow, lovely morning and evening light - which will feature in some new artworks that will soon be in progress.
Despite having walked, biked, driven past & slept in the back of a yellow hilux when I was little, and many times camping since at Lake Tennyson over the years, I'd never gone for a stroll around the Lake. We'd planned to visit the area in a fine weather window that looked perfect to re-study the Princess Stream Tarns also in the area. Unfortunately the morning we were to leave, the local St James very helpful weatherman Mark Inglis (I do follow his posts very closely to keep an eye on conditions in the area) put some photos up showing quite a lot of snow coverage. I'd be hoping it would just rain...it did not, his wife Anne then sent photos of more extensive snow coverage from her heli drop...
This painting of Mt Owen has taken a bit of figuring out. It wasn't feeling quite right, and after much deliberation I decided that "glow" wasn't how I wanted it. That particular night so golden and warm, I think we even had an Aurora later on. So I ended up re-doing the sky and tarn, adding in more soft warm tones and now I'm layering up the warm sun highlights on the tussocks. It's now starting to glow.The inspiration for this painting came from a overnight trip to the summit after a run of beautiful, still bluebird days. Starting from Courthouse Flat...
This particular fisherman's hut immediately caught my eye, tucked remarkably close to a large schist rock, its tiny proportions and wonderfully simple construction make it an intriguing feature within the vast landscape on this sunbathed morning. There is something particularly appealing about the contrast between the small...
