Everything is Blooming and Flying

Alas, the winter season has retreated (at least in some parts of the U.S.), and we are beginning to see the brilliant life that bursts through the earth every spring.  Seeds that sat dormant and plants that seemed dead are reaching colorfully past a season of dormancy.  The Easter Season is upon us and nature is a wonderful reminder that things that appear dead, gone, destroyed are able to rebound.  Things that are broken are able to be mended and flourish.  We need that reminder.
Here's an envelope that I did for an individual that recently lost her mother to cancer.  I thought a gentle sympathy of spring flowers and a message of a "perfect brightness of hope" would be appropriate in her time of sadness.

This is done with gouache, acrylic, prismacolor and bit of pen and ink.

I also recently did another envelope for a friend going through a difficult time, and who needed to be reminded that we are not forgotten in our struggles.  Here's the envelope that I sent to him:

Thanksgiving Point, and other stuff

Recently, my family returned to Utah for a brief vacation and to see family.  While there, we went to Thanksgiving Point Gardens which were rather breathtaking.  I took many photos of the flowers, which were really quite spectacular.  Upon returning, I sketched the following, trying to capture a handful of the images that were left in my mind from the trip:

Also, while there, a visit to my wife's father's house afforded me a few minutes to sketch a beautiful tree that they had in their back yard with a swing on it.  This tree has seen many grandchildren spend many hours swinging underneath the brawny, black limbs next to their swimming pool.