David Drum’s First Snow, Queenston captures the luminous transition between autumn and winter in a richly textured woodland scene. A light blanket of fresh snow settles across the ground, tracing the undulating terrain and pooling in shallow depressions. The snow is far from white; Drum energises it with strokes of blue, violet, green, and soft yellow, creating a vibrant play of reflected light and shadow.

Slender deciduous trees rise throughout the composition, their trunks rendered in expressive lines of red, russet, and violet. To the right, a burst of fiery orange and gold foliage clings to branches, contrasting with the cool snow below. In the centre and upper portions of the painting, brilliant yellow leaves glow against a pale blue sky, suggesting lingering autumn colour even as winter encroaches.

Evergreen trees punctuate the background with deep greens, adding vertical structure and depth. Long, cool shadows stretch diagonally across the snow, guiding the viewer’s eye into the forest interior and reinforcing the low seasonal light.

The brushwork is energetic and layered, with visible impasto and rhythmic linework that give the surface movement and vitality. In First Snow, Queenston, Drum transforms a quiet seasonal moment into a dynamic interplay of colour, light, and texture—where the last warmth of autumn meets the crisp brilliance of early winter.