The Subtle Beauty of Winter
The pink sky first caught my attention. It was calling me to go down to the frozen sea to collect a little beauty. Sunsets seem more intense in winter compared to the rest of the year. Maybe it’s because nature is covered in white snow.
The vast frozen sea and the beautiful sunset would have made a magnificent subject, however, I am fan of more subtle beauty.
After a couple of days with warmer weather, a pool of melted water has emerged on top of the ice. The wintery reed cast intriguing vertical reflections in the water and the surface picks up the warm tones of the pink sky.
For a little moment there, the puddle looks like a box of shining jewelry. Or a magical shimmering caleidoscope.
The little pool is glowing, as if there is a lamp hidden inside of it. The subtle pinks and greens in the water move me and I know this kind of treasure never lasts for long. Minutes later, the light source within the puddle will have disappeared.
This is the kind of beauty that speaks to me. Not the endless landscape with the grandiose sunset, but the reflection of it in a pool of melted ice.
So many lives are lived on autopilot. We do the same things every day. Move along the same paths, mostly with our blinders on. This kind of treasures so easily pass unseen. We think that our everyday places are not worth looking at because we’ve already seen them a million times.
My point is, there’s nothing ordinary about Mother Nature. She is a multifaceted lady, a moment-to-moment kinda girl. All her endeavours are highly extraordinary.
If we can’t seem to see it, chances are that somewhere on our path to adulthood we’ve lost connection to our innate sense of wonder. The one that came so naturally to us when we were children. We’ve become so grown up and educated - and at the same time a little numb to the beauty of the world.
Remember, my friend, switching that autopilot off is always an option. This painting is for all the pink skies in puddles that you missed over the years!
“Frozen Treasure” oil on canvas board 27x35 cm (620 €) The painting is available for purchase, for inquiries please contact hjort.heidi@gmail.com