A Spring Morning

Good morning to you. The first flower that comes up after a harsh snowy winter in Pagosa Springs, Colorado are the tulips.  When they show their heads, then we feel like spring is not too far away. Even though we have seen snow even in July and we dare not plant anything before June 1st, the tulips are wonderful to see, everything else lies barren around them, but they take courage and bloom anyway.

A Spring Morning (Watercolor 11X14)

Petal Tips! A Spring Morning is a quick study. I sized the paper with gesso and left the brush strokes showing. I did this on purpose to show a sweep of movement which I could have used for light or wind. Since you do not see brush strokes in watercolor unless they are dry brushstrokes, the under painting of gesso serves as part of the movement and even part of the design.

I laid my brush in the wet red paint of the blooms and pulled down the stems so the green and the color of the bloom joins together.  It makes the bloom and the stem one. If not, they will look like suckers on a stick.

Meanderings~~~~~ As artists and poets we usually show our heads before anyone else does. We are definitely the visionaries and usually before others see, we are creating  and bringing it to their attention. And, like the tulip we expose ourselves to the winter breeze. Chilled, alone and shivering we bring attention that the promise of a new thought or idea is in the air.

When spring is in full bloom, the tulip is forgotten, everyone has gone on to enjoy the other flowers until next  spring and a another year. I count on those tulips coming up every year.