Bird of Paradise

Last December, we were in San Diego.  We visited Balboa Park which has beautiful architecture and landscaping.  In my country in December there is nothing blooming, so I was delighted to see these densely booming patches of Birds of Paradise.  They look odd and alien to me, in Canada we don't have anything that looks remotely like this flower. I wanted to try to capture the brilliant colours, strange shapes and thick, dense foliage.
I almost didn't post this - I've been holding off for several weeks as I am unsure whether I like it.  It looks very abstract and unreal to me. But I am less interested in critical acclaim and whether "my piece resonates with the critics" than I am in whether I had fun doing this and whether I learned anything from the process. And the answer to that is yes.  Those colors made me smile and I loved layering on those blues and reds and adding the touches of white gel pen. And it reminds me of a fabulous start to the vacation of a lifetime. So I think, in the end, that I do like it.
Watercolor and gel pen in the Handbook sketch book.