Wintry Days

My house in January

 

The first snow of the year came overnight on January the sixth, leaving us with about six inches of very dry powder. It was too dry to stick to the branches, except for the evergreens in front--not s scenic as I'd hoped for. But it's good to have snow cover during winter, especially since the past two years have been so dry.

During these garden-idle winter months I have more time to focus on my botanical art work. I got around to finishing this Trumpet Vine piece that I started last summer. After looking at it, I'm thinking that it needs one more thing, I'm not sure exactly what, but perhaps one seed sprouting in the lower left hand corner to anchor the ensemble showing the complete life cycle of the plant?

I though about throwing in a humming bird buzzing the flowers, but that would probably be too much--the ants pursuing the nectar and protecting the plant are enough for the flowering stage. I'm currently trying to stratify some of the seeds that have come out of the pod in my refrigerator, but they need about 30 days in the cold before being brought to a warmer temperature. We'll see if this succeeds.

Trumpet Vine, (Campsis redicans), watercolor on paper, 20"h x 14"w.

 

I also completed my portrait of Peony 'Bartzella' in colored pencils. A dark background is not standard for botanical paintings, but I think in this case it brings out some of the drama I see in the flower, highlighting the pale yellows and crepe-paper texture of the petals.

Peony 'Bartzella' (Paeonia hybrid), colored pencil on paper, 12"h x 9.75"w.

I started another piece of some downy rattlesnake plantain orchids from the Ice Mountain site. I thought of using masking fluid for the markings on the leaves, but since masking fluid can change the surface of the paper, it could alter the colors. Doing it with negative painting is painstakingly slow-- and the dappled light of the forest floor is challenging.

 

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain orchids (Goodyear pubsecens), watercolor on paper.

I prefer to work with natural light--no daylight lamp I've ever used actually renders color the way sunlight does. But at this time of the year, with the short days, my painting hours are fewer.  I fill the non-optimal hours doing pencil sketches--more ideas for paintings that rattle around in my head.

 

The back yard at sunrise.

 In the meantime, my frozen garden awaits spring...or perhaps just another little bit of snow?