Evening Commute Dec 30, 2024

Today’s painting depicts a typical day in Vermont this time of year, or in this case, evening. Flurries are starting to fly but we’ll be home before the snow gets heavy. Hopefully it’s Friday so we can hunker down for a cozy weekend. The transition from painting explosive autumn color to the muted austerity of winter can be profound. An appreciation of subtle nuance pervades in the study of temperature and tonal relationship. The actual location here is on Route 30 along about Whiting, looking north towards Middlebury. 

Speaking of hunkering down, please note I’ll be taking my annual “Winter Break” from A Day in Vermont until Monday, March 10, 2025.

During the break I’ll be reviewing the realms of responsibility beyond art that are easy to put off when I rather be painting. Necessary business elements like accounting, IT/website management, strategic planning, operations, sales and marketing, purchasing, shipping and receiving, inventory, human resources, product management, pricing, quality control, and customer service. Prior to going full time with my art in 2013, I enjoyed a transformative 24 year career at Sto Corp., a world leader in architectural coatings. In my role as Color Group manager I learned many valuable lessons about continuous improvement, departmental structure, and the importance of interdependent areas working together. Since I’m the only employee at Peter Huntoon Vermont Artist, that’s easy. But even as CEO, I still have to answer to the board of directors. My wife and I have our coffee together every morning.  

Of all the “departments” in my little company, Research and Development is a definite favorite. I can spend long happy days in the studio playing mad scientist. I’ll be doing some of that for sure. Every painting I’ll ever do is an experiment to some extent, but removing all pressure whatsoever for an end result is a great way to induce personal artistic growth. It’s a decadent luxury on one hand, but may be the best investment I can make on the other.

Thank you very much for your continued interest in my work. I’m sincerely grateful for your tremendous support, and it’s my pleasure and privilege to share this artistic adventure with you. I look forward to connecting once again in March. Until then, Happy New Year and all the best from Vermont!

Peter

Original Sold. Next Day in Vermont Monday, March 10.