HOW TO WATERCOLOR IN WINTER By Claire Giordano with Maria Coryell-Martin, Watercolor Artists
Claire works on a painting near the Rendezvous Hut in the Methow Valley. Photo by Patrick Mauro.
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t 5:30am the arctic sun illuminates icebergs with delicate bands of yellow light. My Zodiac ride to explore Disko Bay leaves in 30 minutes, and I need to find vodka, fast.
A cruise ship is like a miniature city, and even small ones feel large when you’re waddling across the decks in too many winter layers. Upon finding an open coffee station, I sheepishly approach the barista. Does she, maybe, have a small bottle of vodka in the back for me? My paints will freeze without it. Her face lights up in a huge smile, and she stifles a laugh. “Honey, you don’t need an excuse to get vodka at 6am!” she states, as she hands me an expensive (and entirely too full) bottle from under the counter. “We call it Vitamin V, available all the time.” Despite my insistence that I am, in fact, going to fill my brush with vodka to make a painting, the crew does not believe me. Or, at least, they don’t believe me until I return a few hours later with three small watercolor sketches smelling faintly of liquor. Within a few hours word has spread throughout the ship, and I become known as the “artist who paints with vodka” for the rest of the trip. Painting with vodka is a tip I learned years earlier from expeditionary artist Maria Coryell-Martin, and it inspired my early morning paintings in the arctic. Maria traveled the world documenting places through art, and she specializes in painting outside in cold climates, like Antarctica. For Maria,
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mountaineer | winter 2021
winter is actually one of the best times to get outside and paint. “The days are short, the weather is cold and often wet, and it’s tempting to sit inside with a cup of tea instead of braving the elements with a sketchbook. But in spite of the challenges, I think there’s so much value and fun in sketching winter plein air, and it can lead to wonderful inspiration inside your cozy studio later.” Winter presents a unique set of conditions, but with the right gear, attitude, and preparation, it can be just as fun as painting in fair weather. If you’re thinking about getting outside this winter with a pen or paintbrush in hand, Maria and I have a few go-to tips and tricks to share with you to make the experience fun.
Prepare for the weather with the right equipment Heading out in wintry weather can take a little extra preparation. As sketching is a stationary sport, we recommend bringing layers. If it’s close to freezing outside, wear a base layer, fleece, insulated down jacket, and a waterproof shell. If you’re hiking to your painting spot, bring a dry t-shirt and sports bra to change into because nothing will chill you faster than sitting still in damp layers. If needed, bundle up with extra scarves, jackets, and lightweight gloves. You will not regret bringing more layers than you think you’ll need! We also recommend sitting on a small foam pad instead of on your pack. Bonus: this keeps snacks more easily accessible without having to get up.
