Santa is busy painting

Santa here! I’ve been busy painting several pictures as Christmas presents, and I won’t be able to post them here until the big day arrives. In the meantime, I thought I’d treat you to my portrait by Norman Rockwell, the great (and under-rated) American painter and illustrator. (In a later post, I’ll consider Rockwell in more depth; his work didn’t simply consist of idealized depictions of American life, but also took up themes like civil rights and mistreatment of African-Americans.) For now, enjoy!

Norman Rockwell, “Santa with Elves,” cover of the Saturday Evening Post, Dec. 2, 1922.

Norman Rockwell, “Santa with Elves,” cover of the Saturday Evening Post, Dec. 2, 1922.

Our Christmas tree

Today we put up our Christmas tree — a handsome Douglas Fir. There’s snow on the ground outside, so it was a good day to trim the tree and sit by the fire. I played a few carols on the piano, and then I painted this little watercolor sketch.

Geoff Watson, “Christmas Tree,” watercolor sketch on paper, about 4” x 6,” 2017.

Geoff Watson, “Christmas Tree,” watercolor sketch on paper, about 4” x 6,” 2017.