There is a race of iris, native to the west coast of north America with varieties known collectively as Pacific Coast Native Iris.  They are underappreciated on many levels as they need no summer water and are delicate beauties in many colors.

This white one is grown from seed I harvested, grew and photographed.  I feel like a proud mama!  While primarily colored pencil, this is actually a mixed media piece and all the more beautiful for it.

Precious Priscilla, what a lady!  Well, most of the time...   Pretty much like all our wonderful animal friends.
Colored pencil is a 'natural' for doing fur.  This is a 6" x 4" drawing.

Hens and Chicks or Houseleeks?

The Latin name 'Sempervivum' means ever living and we know them as carefree and lowly garden plants, easy and fun to propagate and share with friends.   Mother nature has blessed them with a subtle tapestry-like beauty.  I took the photo in my garden last summer and enjoyed doing this 7 x 5 colored pencil painting in the cold of winter.

Caroling?

When I asked my favorite critic if this was a bit over-the-top in cuteness, his comment was "It is Christmas, isn't over-the-top the whole idea?" So this is my interpretation of a teddy bear in the collection of my friend Patricia. It is done in colored pencil
7 x 5 and has become part of my 2010 Christmas card collection. The original has been SOLD.

Poinsettia

This lovely plant, a native our of neighbors to the south is arguably the most beautiful secular symbol of Christmas. The bright red leaves are what attract us rather than the simple yellow 'flowers', the sap is poisonous, and most people mis-pronounce it, leaving out the final 'i'. Painted here in colored pencil it is 5 x 7 and part of my 2010 Christmas card collection. The original has been SOLD.

Brushes

So many uses for a simple tool made of a stick of wood with hairs or bristles attached in a bunch at one end...brooms, toothbrushes, wire brushes, brushes for basting, makeup, painting - houses, fingernails, artwork - scrubbing, moving crumbs, grooming hair; it goes on and on. Just to see there is beauty in so simple an object is a delight. I hope you enjoy this small (6 x 4) colored pencil painting called 'Makeup Brushes'.  It was SOLD at the Coupeville Arts Festival Juried Art Show in 2011

Rainbows at our feet

Imagine capturing a rainbow and growing it in your garden. The colored foliage of Coleus is every bit as colorful and beautiful as flowers and more unexpected! This little painting is in colored pencil. 'Garden Rainbows' is just 6 x 8 but is a lovely spash of pinks and roses.