I look forward to seeing you at the 8th Annual Artisan Festival @ Kitty Coleman Woodland Garden

I had surgery on the tendons in my hand...I will be in a brace for 3 more weeks.

I added a wash of brown over the greens and blues i used in the shadows on the flowers. They felt too cool and in need of warming up.

Some of the flowers are starting to open in the heart of these beautiful dogwoods. They have 4 or 5 white petal bracts, and the flower is actually in the round center.

This is a closer up look at the dogwood flowers.

Backgrounds are interesting to paint.

A bit farther along.

This is Cornus Nuttallii, our native B.C. dogwood, they seem to be everywhere in Campbell River right now. They are so beautiful, I think they even put the magnolias to shame.

Here it is finished. That is a fern behind.

I have finished the first two leaves. You can see the first wash of  color 'Garnet Lake' I am using to achieve depth in the areas that will be deep dark.

This is the beginning of Trillium ovatum, our own native B.C. trillium. the forest is alive with beautiful wild flowers at this time of year.

I am the featured artist at Impressions Gallery and Framing in Campbell River. I have the front window display for the next two weeks. If your going by, pop in and have a look.

I put a couple washes over everything that was behind. Just being blurry wasn't enough to set them back, I found. There was too much interference with the main two flowers.

I am finding the background distracting to the foreground.

This is day two of painting on this magnolia. I am using a lot of staining colors, which are new to me and I find them just a bit scary. They are strong, transparent and vibrant. Maybe too vibrant.

This is the beginning of Magnolia Royal Star.

Here is the completed painting of Duck. After some help from my face-book friends I decided to call this painting 'On the Gauntlet'.

The feathers on the one wing are finished.

After and before 'Nicole'. I wasn't completely happy with the eyes. I wanted her to be looking at me. I am glad i made the change.

I have started to paint the glove and the feathers of one wing.