I had a conversation recently with one of my dealers, talking about Wolf Kahn and his use of gray tones in a particular work of art from the dealer’s collection. Loving winter for its tonal complexity, I decided to paint a response to the conversation, employing mostly muted grays and black, showing the range and beauty of the restricted palette, and its ability to express the poetry of winter. I relied on a strong gestural start of black strokes and some monoprint-inspired textures, then glazed the painting when the first layer was dry. Painting into the wet glaze with brushes defined the major trunks slightly, while a dose of blue suggested the pond beyond. After that, I worked back and forth, between rolling, drawing in pencil, and refining with the brush. I wanted to capture the joy I feel in the woods and offer a salute to Wolf Kahn, who undoubtedly shared the sentiment. Details below. Enjoy.