A couple years ago I went with my daughter on a nice day to see the cherry blossoms. We wanted to avoid the crowds at the tidal basin so we went to the National Arboretum. The trees were in a section labeled "experimental". We pretty much had the place to ourselves and enjoyed a lovely sketching picnic under the flowers. In DC a sunny, warm day in late March is rare treat, sliced in between a procession of windy, rainy days and chilly, overcast days. And under the ethereal pink haze of cherry blossoms it was transcendent.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yIRWf1IkyCgF3lu-M5nxDSYL6fgw0nmrSgQmYsm3hl83-xl2IbHmFFyzTF2D1QDBqzR7dos3DJRxBjm3fjr5v9etYVDfb67S_kObeKgh_uKgomvhubSY5AX3w1DO0QsaAoplKGOyBXo/s320/IMG_2783.JPG) |
Here is the pastel |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifG-ag53pRBuTDNBHGvhPVjwvSyXBYQ6DUkx8e5OQWtM3LFyrgrs5ILfMHCYsMEuysnXxQN6ARWOWxdeAS6RDYtce0ytqYeBiNFthBFCTMfI57cA8Y_09AaNh-8wS4nTKgKYPa55mhWbo/s400/IMG_2760.JPG) |
the painting, just finished yesterday |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnI7YciF9SI8rwP-ZaoJ7t33rUS88_hGNbW6ITWeAjIX6T6m92K81SSVrkgFFzc2aE91igGYyPHIUUDbqmAf4zQEVknco_wCmNm5chWZp_AY4TtvzmusmyC56SWsgOzgO4viHnyvyz7w/s200/IMG_2767.JPG) |
In my new studio I have a wall painted with blackboard paint that I can make full scale sketches- very fun! |