Herons, Watercolor Barn, Needlefelting, Orchids and a Trip to India

This week we've had gray days in the Northwest (no surprise), hail and snow, too, but Friday was a gloriously sunny day when I had the pleasure of spying on the local herony, watching them preening, fixing their nests, sitting on eggs, and coming and going, all so enchanting, since we do afterall, live in suburbia.
The day before I enjoyed the Seattle Asian Art Museum with a friend and loved the Garden and Cosmos: The Royal Paintings of Jodhpur exhibit - a fabulous collection of Indian paintings from the royal courts of Rajasthan from the 17th-19th century. These were exquisitely detailed watercolors with the cosmic and god elements, birds, foliage and courtly events depicted, and the museum has provided magnifying glasses to really see the depth and detail and rich rich colors. Add to this a photo exhibit from India and we got a real taste of the culture. For locals this show is on til the end of April.

Afterwards I couldn't resist the nearby Conservatory where the tropicals grow - above are only two of the many beautiful orchids. Their exotic nature is fascinating...as is the lush growth of ferns, palms, birds of paradise, cacti, bromeliads and much more, in the humid warm air of the glass enclosure...

This lush growth and peeks of the sun makes me think of spring, just hints of it lately with bulbs and crocus rising through the soil. And spring makes me think of the Skagit Valley north of us where the flower fields will reign in April with the month long tulip festival we always visit. Here is a watercolor from a few years back inspired by one of our trips there, enjoying the old farms on a sultry day. I listed this a few days ago in my shop.

The previous week I also had the fun of going to Sew Expo billed as the country's largest from dawn til dusk one day... walked and walked the fairgrounds where it was held, ran into quite a few women I knew. SO many fibery goodies, techniques, colors, and vendors, and workshops, it was overwhelming but fun. Here is a small needlefelted (NF) picture I finished at home. I drew my own design (ongoing theme of "Happy Houses") and barely started NF when the one hour workshop was over! I am pleased with more detailing and blending I was able to accomplish in this experimental piece.