Inspirational Flowers

For a long while now, I've been trying to find time to do some lino prints of some of the flowers that I grow here at Swallows Nest.  Time gets away from me all too often.  But since the kids have all returned to school, there have been spare moments and I'm finally getting some printing done.  I'm starting with some cards, but hope to get some larger artworks done.    

I started with the most common and most numerous of the flowers we grow - the bread-and-butter blooms!  Nothing beats and red Leuco and a Pink Ice Protea.  I use oil-based printing ink and then handcolour with watercolours.  Its a challenge to get the colouring the way I like it, and then to keep it consistent as I start mass producing.  

These designs are available in my online store now at www.trees4thewood.etsy.com.  I think some different varieties of protea might be next ...