Wild Bloodroot

“One of the earliest spring blooms in my forest is Wild Bloodroot. Its short-lived striking 3” flowers boast pure white petals and vivid yellow-orange stamens, a vivid contrast to the layer of brown leaves on the forest floor. The large scallop-edged green leaves unfurl soon after the flower opens. The sap inside the stems and in the tuberous root stains like red blood and was used by some Native Americans for dyes as well as for medicinal purposes.

My goal was to capture the 3-dimensional aspect of the blossom without losing the vibrancy of the white areas. I concentrated on keeping my transparent pigments very diluted, layering warm and cool glazes to define the petal shapes. The undefined background of brown shades suggests the late winter ground cover.

This is a milestone painting; I feel I am capturing the glow of a gorgeous white blossom with new success.”

This Whiskey Painting was created with watercolors diluted with Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 Sour Mash Tennessee Whiskey.
Judy is a lifelong member of the Whiskey Painters of America.