Sunday Sketches

Getting excited to see color and spring flowers after the doldrums of winter!

I am intrigued by the unique looking Hellebore flowers. They come in various colors of purple, pink, green and also white. They are a wonderful delight this time of year and bloom for a long time. They have been a subject matter of several of my paintings and sketches.



Visit other artists........Sunday Sketchers

Spring Teasing

It is so exciting to see the green tops of the spring bulbs protruding from the earth. A sure sign of spring coming.

Surprisingly, other spring signs include flowers blooming NOW! Some of the previously planted primroses have been developing leaves, buds, and flowers from rather dead looking plants. A subject of last week's Sunday Sketch.

The unusual looking Hellebore are blooming. I sketched and painted one of these flowers today which I will post for tomorrow's Sunday Sketches.



Did you know that there is a outdoor hearty version of the favorite indoor cyclamen? I planted these last year and they made it through the winter. They are a delightful addition to the early spring flowers which are such a joy after the doldrums of winter.

Check out these tiny gems:

Strange Beauty

Last month as spring began to unfold, I blogged about the strangely interesting flower, the Hellebore.

It has become one of my favorite flowers because of its unique details and untypical colors. I took several pictures of the ones blooming around my house and knew, one day, I would paint from them.

In this watercolor painting, I have captured the three stages of the flower and exaggerated their shapes with black ink. As the flower opens, inside you see the tubular nectaries whose shapes I find fascinating. I also like the way the stamens open and seem to dance. Finally, the center elongates into pod-like forms. The flower lasts this way for months!

Hellebore Trio
Joanne Osband
watercolor and ink
15.5" X 22"

Love Affair With Shapes

A few blog posts ago, I shared the incredible spring flower, the Hellebore. Fascinated by its complexity and shapes, I have begun my second Hellebore painting.

The first one was a quick 9" X 12" sketch followed by an application of watercolor.


This next one on a half sheet of watercolor paper, I have emphasized the shapes and details with permanent ink because......I just love the shapes! What direction this will take from here still remains unknown.



Stay tuned........

Sunday Sketch

Strange name and strange looking flower, an early spring favorite, the Hellebore has captured my attention today.

Once again, I am fascinated by the lines and shapes. I could not resist painting them with watercolors.

Each flower in this sketch is at a different stage of bloom. I find Hellebores amazing and love the details in the center of the flower.


The flowers have five "petals" (actually sepals) surrounding a ring of small, cup-like nectaries (petals modified to hold nectar). The sepals do not fall as petals would, but remain on the plant, sometimes for many months.

The all green Helebores are unique and I am looking for one of these plants to add to my collection.

Hellebores Are Not Boring

One of the first flowers of spring are the Hellebore. Strange name for a rather amusing looking flower. They are not the kind of flower that you pass by. The detail is quite amazing; I think they look rather prehistoric. Hellebore come in various colors; white, yellow, green, pink, and purple.


I like the colors, shapes, and center of the flower......great subject matter for a sketch or painting.

Here is a closer view:


I learned that Hellebores have a long history in cultivation, particularly in Europe. For centuries they have been used for various medical purposes, and all contain alkaloids and other chemicals that could lead to poisoning if ingested in large quantities. Hellebores are even mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature, but it is not certain if the references are to the same plants of today. They have also been cultivated in western Europe and can be found naturalized around ruins of old monasteries and other structures. Extracts from Hellebores have been used in homeopathy and traditional medicines in several countries.