Lovely Grays and Hellebore
Gray Symphony - Quiet Moment
Before moving to the mid-Atlantic region I had never lived anywhere with four distinct seasons. For the first few years I lived here each season was a period of discovery and wonder before I began to associate the sprouting and blooming of specific plants with specific seasons.
It was about four years ago when walking through Georgetown {a neighborhood in DC} in early February that I noticed the hellebore blooming in several yards. The next year I began to realize that these may be the first flowers to bloom in the DC region, maybe even before the snowdrops and crocus. And now I always look upon the blooming of these lovely and delicate flowers as the harbinger of spring.
The hellebore in this painting were given to me by a dear friend and as the flowers opened and continued to bloom I was struck by the soft colors of the petals, the dynamic pattern of the leaves, and how the muted tones were complemented with the reflective surfaces of the small silver bowl and pewter pitcher. Sometimes to bring out the vibrancy in a delicate color it is best to surround it with subtle gray tones.
This is a painting from my Bountiful Observations series, with 25% of the net proceeds of each sale being donated to the American Horticultural Society.