Paul Zegers was facing a rather subdued, overcast scene, but he knew what to do to make a good painting.
“I found the scene very appealing,” says Zegers. “The lighting changed by the minute as the thin cloud cover and occasional sun breaks altered the colors on the fresh snow. Overall, it was rather gray most of the time. I felt that I could make a more dramatic painting by looking for subtle colors and amplifying them slightly. By doing so, I was also able to add a little warmth into an otherwise cold scene. I also shifted the elements and adjusted the composition so that I could include the snow-covered tree on the left, while also including the red barn and the tree on the right. I included the trees on both sides to frame the scene and emphasis the snow-covered branches.”
