Snowgums, so lovely

SNOWGUMS... 

SO LOVELY

Recently,in the middle of a hot, sweltering,sticky summer I spent a week with the family in Thredbo, 

nestled in the Snowy Mountains National Park.It is only 3 or 4 hours away from home...but so different from here.

It rained, 

it was misty,it was cool and crisp,and it was beautiful.The respite from the heat was divine,true,but more than that,was the joy of being in this landscape.

I love the mountains,and I love the colours,smells,sights and sounds there.Above Thredbo the birds circle and caw from sun up till sundown.Tufty,swaying grasses grow together,with raindrops clinging to them.But what I love the most...is those snow gums.

Those multi-stemmed,amazingly coloured,gnarly,low growing,tough,ancient,slow-growing ethereal,mysterious,hardy, strong,wild trees are so magical.

When they get wet,their bark glistens and the colours become intense and more dramatic.They sway,they twist and turn.

I am lucky enough to have been in The Snowys in summer more than a few times, and the snow gums always fascinate me.They inspire me to paint and draw and get snap happy. Can you tell?

So when we got back home, I had a play with watercolours and pencil, layering washes,adding texture and playing with the colours and shapes I saw.I'd love to do some large scale work like this...we'll see if it happens!