Cow Parsley by the River Coln

Oil on Board, 6x8 inches

I've been busy framing these last few days, but managed to get this little one done yesterday in the studio as the rain was pelting down. I was hoping to get out and do a little plein air study, but the foul weather prevented any thought of that.

Cow Parsley at this time of year adorns much of our hedgerow margins and combined with the may blossom of the Hawthorns, provides us with the most beautiful feast for the eyes.  Painting the umbellifore flowers was done with a cheap paste brush, the type we used to use in school with gloy glue, holding the well-loaded brush on the bristles between the thumb and forefinger. Similarly, the May blossom was placed on with the same technique with my 1" household brush, taking particular care with the relative tones, only using pure white tinged with pink on the outer edges that were catching the sunlight.