When prickly pear cactus blooms in the southwest, the flowers can be so profuse, it's as if the desert isn't big enough to hold all the color. This species of prickly pear has violet pads that are as colorful as the large yellow flowers, and long spines to protect those tender, lovely pads from wildlife that enjoys dining on them. At various stages of development, the flower buds can be red, orange, even magenta, so I used transparent watercolors to suggest the ephemeral nature of those colors-- tomorrow, this would be a different painting.
framed in oak wood under UV protective acrylic
- Framed: 17 x 20 x 1 in (43.18 x 50.8 x 2.54 cm)
- Subject Matter: Nature
- Collections: Watercolor Flowers, Wildflowers