It has occurred to me several times that if I have been negleting something in plein air for a long time, it is paintings with snow. The reason is obvious. I live in Prague and it just doesn’t snow here that much.

But this year I decided to be a little more proactive and take advantage of every opportunity. When it snowed in Prague, I was outside every day. And if not, I drove somewhere further where the snow fell.

Of course I was cold, naturally snowflakes got into my paints and then they became unusable paste and you bet that each time my fingers froze to the point that I was barely able to put things back to backpack. But discomfort and personal sacrifices are part of the story of painting in plein air.

At the time of writing this post I have already been to the Canary Islands four times. Every time I was there I felt like I was visiting another planet. Jagged rocks, bizarre cliffs, completely different plants and omnipresent volcanoes. To me, Canaries have always been islands to walk and explore.

It wasn’t until the fourth visit at the end of 2022 that I took the oils with me. I picked a few places in Tenerife and rented an apartment there for longer than most people would. If I had to hurry, it wouldn’t paint well.

Despite of having these rather comfortable bases, the paintings themselves were created in adventurous conditions. I often had to scrabble for long distance or struggle with the unpredictable wind.

But as always, it only benefited the images.