Road in a Winter Garden 1930

Nikolay Bogdanov-Belsky painted "Road in a Winter Garden," and just looking at it, I can practically feel the cold nipping at my nose. It is a dance of light and shadow, the cool blues of the snowdrifts contrasting with the muted browns and grays of the bare trees. I can almost feel the artist standing there, brush in hand, trying to capture the way the winter sun casts long shadows across the snow-covered path. Look how the light rakes across the painting, and how he captures the blue shadows. Maybe Belsky wanted to show us the stark beauty of the winter landscape and the quiet stillness of nature in its dormant state. It reminds me of those times when I'm in the studio, wrestling with a canvas, trying to get the colors just right, searching for a way to express something that feels so elusive. He's part of a long line of artists, from the Impressionists to Fairfield Porter, all trying to pin down the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. I just love to see what other painters do.