Redbud season

"Redbud Season," 5 x 7 watercolor, 140 lb Fabriano Artisitico cold press

Everywhere you go these days in Oklahoma, one color stands out. Stands out against the greening trees, other bare branches, the coming spring.

Redbuds.

We've lost six trees to ice and cold this past year, and it's time to plant a redbud.

April has not been a good month for me, in painting, or in blogging. No excuses, but driving around, and shopping in a nursery does help. In the meantime, here's today's little impressionistic watercolor.

Redbud spring..a painting's story

Redbud Spring--9 by 12 watercolor, 140# d'Arches

Flowering redbud trees stand out like brilliant lace  in early spring against other still leafless trees, even on a cold, gloomy day such as this. 
They hold the promise of even more beauty, when the sun shines  and the humid air and breezes lift clouds through the blue skies, and stir their branches into a melody of motion.
They're difficult to paint, with varying colors and infinite forms, so any attempt is just a representation of shapes and colors. Thus today's painting, an image sealed in my mind from a 20-year-old-story by journalist Rick Bragg, describing dogwood in Alabama.

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Below--the stages of the painting.

Redbud Impressions

Eastern Redbud, 6 by 8 watercolor

Hey, we don't have mountains here, but Eastern Oklahoma does, and besides, I can dream. It's a difficult tree to paint because you can't get all the colors or blooms or leaves, so you go for an impression. Here's another attempt at capturing the beauty of our state tree, the Eastern Redbud, with a few Indian Paintbrush, the state flower, starting to bloom.

Redbud in bloom

Oklahoma Spring--5" by 8" watercolor

Its blooms stand out like shimmering jewels among the gray  and brown of early Oklahoma spring, just as other trees are greening up. Redbud, the state tree. Hard to paint, but worth it, as captivating as its multiple shapes and hues. Here's one try.