Even baby cabbages watercolor studies have their stories.
One of Robert Frost’s most famous poems, “Nothing Gold Can Stay,” came to me in the coming-of-age novel “The Outsiders” by S. E. Hinton, a book we collectively read in 8th grade. Both the novel (now banned in some parts of the country) and Frost’s poem (thankfully, not banned) have stayed with me.
But here’s the thing, Bob. Among all that early spring gold you wrote about, there are many others — like pale lavender and blues, muted pinks, and translucent yellow and white.
If you’re like me, the response to the first spring gold or any other color you see is jubilant.
Every perennial, native or not, pushing up tender growth among the dried stems is cause for celebration. You can tell I go over the top about the small things in nature only because so much of it symbolizes rejuvenation and resilience.
If you’re like me, the daily shocks and disappointments keep our hearts heavy and anxious. Which is why I speak of spring on this last day of February. Shown here is Baby Cabbages, a watercolor study, a.k.a. Sedum, sometimes called Stonecrop. The thought of gardening, like art, eases my mind, a positive thing to do as everything else falls apart.
Their young bundles of Sedum do look like babies and like cabbages, with tiny mouths opening up to eat the sun.
Even though this is a study (in preparation for a much larger piece featuring Sedum), my significant other, who holds back his opinions of my work, says, “It’s a keeper.”
Views of Baby Cabbages Watercolor Study
Perhaps it could be that the Baby Cabbages watercolor study would make a good fine art print in my shop. At an 8 x 10-inch size, it might be a welcoming sight hanging in a back entrance, perhaps a mudroom that one would see upon coming inside after a day’s work in the garden.
Like this little art story? You might enjoy these, too.
Oh, Jack! How an amazingly orange fungi had me fooled.
The Story of Soil. How little green shoots, a wetland protected area, and childhood memories weave together to give this watercolor deep meaning.
