Sketching Life, Death, Re-Birth

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Is been cool and drizzly, misty and rainy for almost a week now. Not a terribly cheerful start to May.  I've been spending a lot of time in the garden despite the dampness and a little less time sketching, especially since mist and rain make it difficult to take a sketchbook outside.

Today I concentrated on what was at my feet and that was some gorgeous Turkey Tail Fungus. I love this stuff. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm wondering if I can bring some inside and dry it or preserve it in some way. Its concentric bands of color and texture are indeed very reminiscent of a turkey's tail, thus the common name for it.

The juxtaposition in this spread of a dead tree limb decaying under the fungus and the fresh new crab apple blossoms is a perfect little microcosm of the entire Universe, life, death, decay, re-birth. I'm always amazed at the deep and profound truths that Nature simply scatters round us all the time.

White gel pen at the end helped to accentuate the light bands of color. The flowing wet in wet background was so fun to do and reminded me how versatile the Stillman & Birn Zeta mixed media paper really is.

The blue behind the blossoms is Winsor & Newton's special edition Sapphire Phthalo mixed with some Daler-Rowney ProWhite. The Sapphire Phthalo is such a beautiful jewel-like color it's a shame it's just a limited edition. I'm going to have to continue to snatch up tubes wherever I can find them.

I'm hoping for sunnier weather but it looks like I may have another several days to wait.  I just ordered a very intriguing watercolor sketchbook but I'm determined not to begin it until my Gazara Papel watercolor sketchbook is filled. Hoping that will happen in the not too distant future. If the sun would shine I'd be able to get out to the parks and really sink into some landscape work.