Red Fox in a Snowdrift

Red Fox in a Snowdrift

Pastel, 8.5 x 11

One last look at winter. It was a cold one this year in most of the country, not the most pleasant memory for any of us. And yet, even on the coldest, most dreary day, you can find moments of beauty and pure joy. This is one of my most favorite subjects in one of its most perfect settings. I can not think of anything more stunning than a brilliant red-gold fox bounding through the pristine white snow.  Snow and foxes, they seem to have been made for each other. And they serve to remind us to always look for the beautiful, even in a snowstorm.

I love using pastel because of the spontaneity and versatility of the medium.  With the sides of the pastel sticks I can lay down broad strokes of color for fur, and with the edges I can draw tiny hairs or whiskers - and for the fox I need them both.  They come in a wide range of colors, which is good because they aren't really that mixable. But they are messy and fun to use and in a way they take me back to the crayons I loved as a child.

May you see beauty in this day, and something to do that brings you as much joy as your happiest childhood memory.