Snow-drops by the garage pushing up — wide tops indicate buds about to appear. It has been mild all week —
Jan. 21…Started the real work on the “Late Afternoon in Winter”, putting in the warm yellows and browns around the edge to denote the house interior, & all the vivid red birds –… Jan. 22… Continuously cold weather – close to zero every morning – More work on the 1917 picture –
Bitterly cold wind from the N.E. (about 6° above) an elective gray sky, sparse snow falling – drifting – Walking along the road this afternoon, the realization came over me with overwhelming force that I am mentally asleep, and have lost all sense of true values – wishing for milder weather so I can paint, I am blind to the beauty and power of this zero weather –
P.M. – Painted the memory of an incident that took place almost 60 years ago, but which seems still as vivid in my memory as the day it happened long ago.
Days of doubt & indecision in regard to my painting. I cannot even get started. Study pictures in process and do some mounting.
A.M. puttering in studio. P.M. Take Sally, Catherine & Arthur to chestnut ridge. While they slide, I alternately watch the fun, and go to the “casino” to warm myself.
Two days to Buffalo by bus - (I think it was Tuesday & Wednesday)
I awoke early enough to see the sun-rise. It startled me half out of bed. Up away from the horizon was a long cloud bar, flaming salmon in color, against a blue green sky. Did I awake just for that?
A beautiful sunny windy day, the air mild and soft. I decided to go out painting...As the day wore on the wind got colder and more gusty – just as I was about to start painting a sudden gust threw the easel forward spilling the water all over my trousers, drenching me to the skin.... Nevertheless, I continued to paint most of the after-noon – my subject, the swirling stream, sunlight & wind. –
When I think of the multitude of things there are to paint – the whole untouched field of nature moods and weather, and the whole gamut of human life and endeavor which can be expressed in houses and building – when I think of these, and how little I have actually accomplished, I am aghast at my inactivity – a cessation of painting that has lasted from October. There is so little time – human life is so brief, it seems “flying in the face of fate” to be idle.