I wish I could be sure that “redux” is the proper grammatical form for a plural noun, but since my Latin has been long forgotten, let’s just ignore it. “Redux” is being used here in the sense of “revisited”. I have revisited the three paintings started at Sugar Hill in subzero temps to make adjustments in the warmth of my studio. Not only my fingers but my mind was numbed during the outside painting, and with the luxury of doing without mittens, some fine-tuning has been possible.

The first painting, which I called the Hammock, needed the least amount of adjustment. This did not surprise me. I often seem to take my best shot on day 1. I clarified the hammock a little but that’s all. It remains my favorite.

The second painting needed major work on the tree in the foreground. I added the bark detail. The figures were a little fuzzy, so I tried to sharpen their edges a little. (Painting while wearing mittens is like waxing a floor while wearing a train–as you work on one area you are smearing what you just finished in another area.)

The final painting, the big one, needed the most help, and it is still a work in progress. The foreground still fails to excite me and if I don’t come up with a solution for it, I may saw it off. Just kidding. I have some ideas, and look forward to experimenting with them. Foot tracks, boulders instead of wall, maybe some vegetation poking through (as it did in fact–you can see it in the second painting). I could try inserting a pair of skiers or the cat (“Topper”) who rules at the Sunset Hill Inn–but that would distract too much from the mountains, which must be the subject matter of this painting.

Stay tuned.