December Moon

8x8 watercolor on Master's Touch 140 lb cold press paper painted on Christmas day, an imaginary winter landscape with snow and distant trees under a cold December moon. It was 85 F. when I was doing this country road scene. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Autumn's End

8.5x5.5 mixed media in sketchbook for mixed media done about a week ago using white wax crayon resist along with watercolor. No reference was used in this imaginary autumn/winter landscape. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Winter Wood miniature

6x2 watercolor miniature in a vertical format that can be framed or used as a fun bookmark. This winter woods scene is imaginary and is inspires by others painted by me. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2025

Country Church in Snow

5.5x8.5 watercolor using White Nights paints in Master's Touch 80 lb paper sketchbook; completed on Christmas Day 2024, an imaginary rural winter scene in snow. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2024

Frosted Farm

7x9 watercolor in Masters Touch sketchbook 80 lb paper done at month's beginning, a winter landscape using my farm reference. Here a heavy frost covers the distant farmhouse and barn with buildings while a deep ditch is in the foreground. COPYRIGHT 2024 Kay Smith

Frozen Edges

3x4 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper, another imaginary winter landscape painted at the end of December. It is not that cold and icy here but one can think about it. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Lincoln Forest in Snow

4x6 watercolor on 300 lb cold press Saunders paper done a few weeks ago while in the Lincoln National Forest, just a grouping of trees in snow, waiting on spring sunshine. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Windswept Creek

5.5x8.5 watercolor and white crayon on Masters Touch paper in sketchbook done last week from imagination. We were in the cold mountains so not too hard to dream this scene of winter landscape and its frozen parts. COPYRIGHT 2023 Kay Smith

Cardinal in Snowy Branches

16x20 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done right before the first of December using multiple photos and imagination. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Frozen River Trees

6x4 Brusho, oil pastels, and wax crayon on Canson 140 lb cold press paper done last week, an experimental winter landscape. I wanted to use multiple media together to see what effects would result. COPYRIGHT 2021 Kay Smith

Smiling Snowman

9x6 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper, an imaginary snowman decked out in his bright mittens and knit toboggan cap, trying to stay happy and cold before he melts. This is one in my watercolor snowmen series. COPYRIGHT Kay Smith

Lazy Polar Bear

4x6 watercolor on Canson 140 lb cold press paper, that is today's work on another WetCanvas challenge. Image courtesy tyree.  I've changed the bear's zoo background to be one more in line with snow and icy conditions.
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kay Smith

Penguin Pair

7x5 watercolor on 140 lb cold press paper, an imaginary penguin pair out frolicking in the snow storm on a very cold night.
Image COPYRIGHT Kay Smith 2016.

Snowman in Turquoise Cap

5.5x8 watercolor on paper (Strathmore Visual Journal) done a few days ago, an imaginary snowman holding his red Christmas ornament ball.  Merry Christmas tomorrow everyone!  This work is SOLD.
Image COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Frozen Pinecone

5x7.5 watercolor and ink on Moleskine for watercolor sketchbook done weekend before last and featured on WetCanvas.  With their weekend drawing events each participant has 2 hours to select from 16 photos and then do a painting.  Snow shadows were a nice abstract pattern over the background; limited palette of quinacridone burnt sienna/gold and ultramarine blue.  Image courtesy Li Newton/WetCanvas.  Pigma Micron 01 pen used to sketch cone and needles.
COPYRIGHT 2015 Kay Smith.

Woodland Deer-a card a day

6x4 inches watercolor on Saunders 140 lb cold press paper, American Journey paints, done this afternoon. I used black and white photos of a Ruidoso deer and made up the landscape. Spritzing with cobalt blue then spraying with white gouache make up the snowfall. I'm still on a card-a-day even though some posted lately are much larger. Now I'm on a roll and can't quit.

Meltdown - a Christmas card a day

11x8.5 watercolor of two happy and silly snowmen facing a sunny day outdoors. Little do they know they are slowly becoming one with the earth again.

Cold Snap

Copyright 2009 Kay Smith

"Cold Snap" 15x11 watercolor on gessoed matboard, American Journey/Daniel Smith paints. Today, Christmas Eve, we are having a cold snap with wind, snow, and icy conditions. I want to wish all my friends, followers, and fellow painters a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Branching Out

15x11 quarter sheet watercolor on Italia Acquerello 140 lb cold press paper, drawn in 10 minutes, 1.5 hours painting, wet on dry. I added kosher salt to background colors, encouraged backruns, and did some negative painting of branches. American Journey paints, direct painting style, usually with only 1 application. Spattered titanium white when dry for snow effects. Thanks to Alain for the photo reference!

Ruidoso Road

11x15 watercolor on 140 lb Kilimanjaro paper, American Journey paints from my photo taken in March up on Sierra Blanca. I added the warm colored bushes here that were not there for added interest. This road seemed to be going off the mountain side into nowhere.