Flowering Quince

(C) 2016 Dale DiMauro

With all the rain and gloomy skies last week, here in southern Vermont, a flowering quince in our yard, really stood out. Both my wife and I on our separate comings and goings, took note of the brilliant red against the rather gray backdrop. It grows up along a fence in our front yard and has not been as prominent as this year. We even have it's fruits from last year laying on the ground. In fact, prior to last season, I do not recall it ever fruiting since it was planted many years ago.

I was too tired last night from working outside to finish the picture but thought the timing of the subject was important to post. The vivid pinkish-red is hard to achieve as I don't usually paint with such intense colors. I do like the red against the gray background which essentially harmonizes the picture. As a result there is a calm quality to the watercolor. I think the simplified composition gives the flower more of a stage to shine on.

With a little more work done to the leaves I think the red will really shine as green is it's complementary color. The picture may look a little sloppily painted as I experimented with the background. This painting started as a study where I developed the woodland edge with different pigments than I usually do in cool colors as a technique to enable the flower to project forward.