Azalea Time - Pam Johnson Brickell

Azalea Time, a photo by PJBee on Flickr.

Oh the colors of Spring. The Azaleas are popping out all over the place.
Today Rob and I went to Hilton Head National Golf Course. He to practice, me to paint. Time well spent by both of us :)

Back Home in my Garden

After travelling around Europe for 5 weeks and struggling to sketch as the weather got colder... nothing is more special than coming home and enjoying a Saturday morning soaking up the warm spring Australian sun and looking around at what is happening in my garden. I am no gardener so my looking around is more from an aesthetic point of view than from any knowledge of species.

So here is the page that I did on Saturday - I overworked the first azalea sketch so I did another one and stuck it over the top - I try to never rip a page out of my sketchbook but I have no problem covering a mess up... it is all part of the experience.

My favourite trees are starting to lose their bark and I am just itching for an opportunity to go down the road again and sketch them as they transform from grey- pinky grey-yellow -to bright orangey red! So stay tuned....

Ms Azelea

Here she lay on my studio table. I had forgotten about her for a few days. The other day I painted her with all the energy and bravado Ms Azelea was showing. How glorious I remember her being. But now the colors were all muted, dry leaves, and flat, all folded upon herself like some prom dress thrown on the floor. Yes now all the energy was replaced with an air of regalness and some type of majesty. Even now in the throws of of death she still was sharing with me and deserved another painting. I wish I could have done her justice. No hard line used this time, just watercolor and devoid of any volume like before, only flatness or some decorative quality.
It makes me think, while I was painting, is life counted by the hours we are on this planet? Or could it be by the length of time you are remembered through the years or centuries. If this was case it would be me and Ms Azelea sharing timelessness through this watercolor and possible blog. I think I like the later........I choose life.
This was in a moleskine book approx 6" by 8". Enjoy

Azelea Plant

One of my favorite plant flowers is the Azelia. So many varieties so I been told. I came across this one and did a quick watercolor study of a sprig off of it. In this study one was bloomed and the others were waiting for their special momemt.
I try to capture the spirit of things as I feel them and I thought this one was gorgeous...believe me I don't do portraits much because I can't do them the justice they deserve.