Going down Memory Lane

As usual, I'm late in painting my Christmas card.  I've started 2 different paintings for this purpose, and didn't finish either one of them.  Then, looking through my finished paintings, I liked this painting because it reminded me of my roots.  I grew up on a ranch in Montana, and our Christmas celebrations were very simple, with handmade construction paper chains and popcorn that trimmed our tree.  Of course, the tree was a real tree.  Dad would drive us through the hills on our ranch, and we'd pick our favorite tree each year. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm going to try to keep this holiday more simple and remember the special traditions of my earlier years.  Happy Holidays to all of you! 
By the way, this painting started with charcoal sprinkled on the paper, and then pouring a big bucket of water on the charcoal to create the wonderful texture.  I'll be teaching this process at my workshop at Madeline Island on August 6 - 10, 2012.  Go to my website for details.  http://www.karenknutson.com/