Need Spring!

Sorry I haven't been updating my blog lately. I've been battling lung issues for the better part of a month. Add to that, my doctor of almost 50 years retired the end of December so I've been shlepping myself to Urgent Care for treatment. Today I finally saw a new practitioner and will see my new official Dr. in March. I don't think I'm going to feel better until Spring, to tell the truth. Winter is always hard on my breathing and this year it's been worse than usual so I haven't been painting. I did find a photo I took last Spring of my weeping cherry tree so I thought I'd share it.

Garlic ~ thumbnail sketches

I've been on a bit of a hiatus. This winter has been rough on my lungs and I really haven't been in a very creative mood as a result. I finally bucked up and drew these simple thumbnail sketches the other night. I'm thinking of a small, garlic themed series. I've painted a garlic braid (ristra) before but I've never painted the scapes. When the scapes first appeared in my garlic patch I was quite enamored with them. For those that aren't familiar, they are the stems and flower buds of hardneck garlic and they look like graceful, long necked birds. They appear almost overnight and begin to coil around in the most amazing way. I haven't decided what medium I'd like to use yet. I'm thinking pen and wash. 

BTW, I'm happy to report the client loved the portrait (JUGGS). Yes! I found out later that this is his 40th anniversary gift to his wife. And here I thought it was for Valentines Day. I'm kinda glad I found out about the anniversary after the fact. It would've added that much more pressure.