Evergreen Lake Winter - Colored Pencil Drawing

"Evergreen Lake, Winter" Colored Pencil

The narrow inlet to the lake has finally broken free from winter's icy grip. The chilly water is motionless and reflects the shadowy pine trees. Overcast skies have softened the cool, morning light and the hues are muted. A patch of yellow cattails provides a bright contrast to the somber, blue color scheme. The drawing is an expression of the contemplative solitude experienced during a late, winter storm at Evergreen Lake.

During this time of the year, prodigious snowstorms and blizzards descend upon the lake liberating giant snowflakes that come pouring down like rain for days on end. Visibility of the surrounding peaks fades in and out depending on the ebb and flow of the steel-gray clouds that veil the landscape in a mysterious aura. It's my favorite time to wander around the shoreline because of the peace and quiet.

Surprisingly, one of the most crowded spells at the lake is also the coldest. From mid-December until late February, it's frozen solid and a section of the pond is transformed into an ice skating arena. Colder temperatures mean a smoother surface so the best time to skate is after dark under the lights. Evergreen Lake is also renowned for its productive ice fishing. Determined anglers drill holes through the thick ice and wet their lines hoping to net one of our most popular underwater residents, the rainbow trout.

Comments

  1. judi February 23, 2013 at 2:53 PM

    Dan - this is a gorgeous print! Evergreen Lake looks like a beautiful spot to go skating and ice fishing!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dan MillerFebruary 24, 2013 at 8:33 PM

      Thanks Judi,

      It is a beautiful place and it gets very busy in the winter. I like it in March after the ice thaws and the birds start coming back. We've spent many hours wandering around the water exploring the shoreline.

      Delete
  2. ClaudineFebruary 24, 2013 at 1:50 PM

    Gorgeous !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dan MillerFebruary 24, 2013 at 8:37 PM

      Thank you Claudine,

      I had a tough time getting this one done. I almost gave up on it. Now that it's finished, I guess it turned out okay.

      Delete
  3. ClaudineFebruary 25, 2013 at 12:11 AM

    It is fabulous, you have done a great job : one can dive in the picture. I feel the cold. It is really really beautiful. Love the colors, the atmosphere.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dan MillerFebruary 27, 2013 at 10:26 AM

      Thanks again Claudine,

      My favorite time to be out around the lake is during a storm, the weather effects are very interesting but they're complicated to capture. Maybe that's why this one was so difficult for me to complete.

      Delete

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