Winter is the time to paint! It gets dark early, there's few events to tempt you to go out and the weather encourages you to stay in - You need no excuse to dig out the oils and give it a try. If you've never painted before, just play and have fun with it. Explore colour and texture just like you did when you were a little kid. No one has to see it, so there's no pressure. If you do come up with something great, though, I'd love to see it. Also contact Melani Pyke if you have specific questions about anything art-related. 

You'll probably find painting very therapeutic and relaxing once you allow yourself to get into it and forget the chores you have to do, your plans for tomorrow, and other stresses of life. For this reason, many people prefer to paint late at night.