Twelve Below and the Playoffs are On

No one's getting out this way.

I could care less.  It's the snow, freezing temps and wind chills that's the big story here. Cabin fever is becoming a threat.  Confined to home by bitter cold not even the puffiest of puffy coats can ward off, all excuses for not painting are eliminated.  Nevertheless, I find myself reluctant to return to the studio seriously. I don't know why. The answer is probably percolating somewhere in the back of my mind?  So I made soups. I Skyped with Roger Akesson for half  an hour about art.  And though his words, his break-through art and enthusiasm inspired me, I  did the ironing and read the morning away.

Centerpiece at The Ritz

Martha "Patsy" Jefferson died yesterday.  Her death made me glad times had changed for women. She was married to Thomas ten years. She was pregnant most of the time. She gave birth five times--maybe six?  Each pregnancy worked havoc on her body and weakened her overall health, which finally gave way in September, 1781 leaving Thomas three daughters to raise on his own with the help of  his slave, Sally Hemmings.  On her death bed, Patsy made Tom promise never to marry again. He promised and never did.  He did however have more children with Sally.  You didn't have to marry your property.

What was the matter with that Tom?  Did no one notice pregnancies were doing his "most beloved" wife in?
While contraception was frowned on by the Anglican church, certainly abstinence kept under wraps should have occurred to a loving husband who adored his wife and wished to have her with him always.  What an idiot! A highly intelligent thinker with a wide range of interests, none of them being  his wife and the connection between her failing health and the pregnancies. Sally herself should have made the connection, but obviously producing a brood (and pleasing your husband) was more important than living to raise the brood she did manage to produce. --But then, maybe she got even with that death bed promise thing?

Reference photo

With that said, I managed  one more watercolor before putting those supplies away till plein air weather comes around to coax me out of the house. Don't you agree that mats are the final step in finishing a watercolor?  I do like a flap mat presentation. Mats do so much for enhancing the translucency and adding to the sparkle of the piece--and the acid free foam board backing adds strength for safer shipping. This floral was inspired by a gigantic bouquet on the buffet table at the Ritz in Cancun.  I couldn't have the smoked salmon--too salty--but I could photograph the splendid colors of the lilies and greenery for a watercolor study. I do love just responding to the glory of color with this medium. No need to draw, just lay down the paint.  Pure joy. A nice reprieve from the cold.