"Snowdrops" (watercolor and aquarelle pencil; 7" x 5")

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Pure white snowdrops blooming in a forlorn winter garden mean only one thing--spring is just around the corner.  No, they are not yet flowering in my garden, but one can still dream about them!

"First Snowdrops" (oil on linen; 7" x 7") sold

sold

I first blocked in the mulched ground and flowers.

The delicate flowers are now fully developed.

Snowdrops are one of the first flowers to bloom in early spring. I took the reference photo for the painting on February 12, and that was a few days after I spotted them in my garden.  That's pretty early!  I painted the snowdrops in oil, because I thought they wouldn't show at all against the white of the watercolor paper.

As you can see, I posted two step-by-step pictures.  After the second stage, the rest--the spiky leaves and a suggestion of the mulch--went pretty fast.  Very relaxing after working for a few days in watercolors, which require a methodical, time-consuming approach!

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"First Snowdrops" (oil on linen; 8" x 10") sold

sold

Reference photo

I did it!  Instead of sitting on a nice photo forever, I made a painting out of it right away.  Aren't you proud of me?  As I mentioned in an earlier entry, I took the above picture last Sunday.  The first sighting of these delicate white flowers always signals the imminent arrival of spring.  However, the joy has been considerably marred by the unseasonably warm weather we've been "blessed" with this winter.  Today's forecast in northern Virginia is in the upper 60's! 

Some people are basking in the warmth; others hate it, sad at the want of the fluffy snow.  I happen to live with two of the latter.  I don't mind the spring-like temperature.  But I am sore at the missed opportunity to paint snow on location as my plein-air friends had vowed to do so this winter.  Oh, well.