Saturday, April 17, 2010

Spring Time at Raven Run

Spring has finally come to Kentucky and it has been beautiful. The winter was colder than usual and stayed until mid March but when spring came it arrived all at once with most of the flowering trees blooming at the same time - redbuds, weeping cherry trees, and saucer and star magnolias.
"FLOWER BOWL" 8"X12"   pastel    $185 matted

In April the woodland flowers were abundant because we had a very wet summer and fall in 2009 which hydrated the forest floor. I've been packing my pastels and paper into my daypack and dragging my easel into the forest at Raven Run Nature Park in southeast Fayette County where the wildflowers are incredible. Blooming with purple, blues and lavenders are blue-eyed Mary's, native delphinium, phlox and in the damper areas are yellow wood poppies.
I continue to be amazed at the difference between my reference photographs and the drawing that I produce on location. I'm always disappointed with the photo when I print it at home but at least I have to make any small additions to the plein air drawing.
Here is the photograph from the same site as the pastel "Flower Bowl" 

 I'll be showing new work at Cherokee Triangle Art Fair on Cherokee Parkway, booth 206 in Louisville KY April 24 & 25. Come see the new pieces from my on location adventures.