A tiny garden

Perennial Sunflower Pair 4x4 pastel, copyright 2012

Pink Zinnia Facing the Sun 4x4 pastel, copyright 2012

I haven't abandoned pastels altogether, just decided to move in a slightly different direction.  My first intention with this 16x20 piece of black matboard was to paint something larger, as I've done in the past.  But as the pastel primer on it was drying, something dripped from the ceiling, right into the middle.  Instead of just letting it dry I wiped if off, ruining the surface at the drip. In frustration I started cutting up the matboard - the pieces kept getting smaller and smaller until I had a stack of 4x4's.  

These have turned out to be fun little sketches.  It can be quite challenging to compose an interesting painting in such a small space, and the rough texture and black surface make it more difficult.  So far I have painted 11.  Eight have turned out well enough to show off and two have the potential to be painted again larger.  

Here are the first two that I like, I'll post two at a time.  The weather has been turning more winter-like which I have decided to defy with garden scenes.  These eight, and hopefully more, will be made available in my etsy shop.

Forsythia in bloom

Forsythia Hedge 12x9 pastel, copyright 2012

The mild winter and early spring has meant an abundance of blooms everywhere.   Forsythia is a common bush around here since it is one of the first plants to flower.  One of our neighbors has a yard lined with them, and this year they were fuller than I have ever seen.  The bright flowers made a wonderful contrast to the dark evergreens behind, especially in the early morning sun.  There is an old saying, "Three snows after the forsythia blooms", but it's looking like that won't happen this year.