The Winter House

The Winter House, © 2003 D. Yael Bernhard

Here’s a portrait I did of a neighbor’s house when I first moved to this mountain valley over twenty years ago. I wanted to capture the subtle hues of the winter landscape – pale lavender and icy blue, muted teal and slate grey – which make the mountains look like a hand-colored etching. The voluminous snow added natural curves to the manmade angles and lines of the century-old farmhouse. The nearby stream, too, was choked with snow – familiar and beloved to all who live here, it was worthy of inclusion. By using an internal frame to break up the scene, I was able to do so. As in a children’s book, design elements such as borders, frames, and insets enable subjects or views to be included that would otherwise be out of sight. The hand-painted frame also gives the portrait a handmade quality, rather like folk art – and enabled me to introduce another color. The strong purple of this frame picks up hints of lavender throughout the painting.

I enjoy doing house portraits, especially when I can include the surrounding land. This particular house had a lot of character, with its gingerbread shingles over the widow’s walk. In springtime there’s a whole medley of perennial flowers along the walkway leading up to the door – what a contrast to this wintery scene!

I wish I could have painted this portrait larger, maybe added a silver fox or a lone hawk, finer detail in the house, perhaps some curtains in the windows. This was all I had time for, I recall. Almost always, artists must work within constraints of time and space.

It’s snowing again as I write these words, and this is what the stream in our valley looks like now – every stone caked with snow, some bearing animal tracks. The mountains seem locked in a frozen trance. There’s something peaceful about the stillness, broken only by the intermittent calls of a chickadee by day, an occasional owl at night.

I accept commissions for house and pet portraits – and can even combine them sometimes. Please inquire for more information if you’re interested.

A good week to all!

D. Yael Bernhard

https://dyaelbernhard.com

Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!