Winter

22 x 28, mixed media on hardboard.

Illustration of a song:

Wandered the world wondering why,
Climbed a place cold, far, and high.
The sky grew close,
Clouds rolled below;
Sat down to die.

Saw bare footsteps in the snow,
Had to find where they would go:
Near a tree,
Bare but alive,
A blue-robed angel strolled.

Told her I don't understand.
She smiled and gazed across the land,
Whispered only,
Stroked gently
A bird in hand.

Step to the right could bring my death.
Instead I watched my plumes of breath;
Climbed away,
My heart was full
To save the rest.

--- Alyssa Noel

I used mostly acrylics, since I had very little time to work, but I finished the figure with alkyds. I tried to capture the somewhat blue, precarious feeling of the song, and even its slightly Eastern overtones (with a bit of oriental feel to the sky).

I'm sorry that I have only this quick shot. I'll upload a better image, with clearer focus and which doesn't burn the background out, as soon as I can.

See the original sketch in my scraps:
[link]