EDiM - Something Sour - Lemon Tree

The lemon tree is an icon of the Italian garden. In the south they are huge and dripping with giant, juicy fruit. Further north they are coddled like babies, tucked warmly away inside during the winter months and then in the Spring, wheeled out proudly to enjoy the sun.

We only have one ourselves and each year it struggles back to life. We watch anxiously until we see the first tiny leaf buds. It then goes into a frenzy of putting on beautiful white scented blossom. Soon it is covered in tiny baby fruit - but I think only one has ever developed and ripened. Every time The Gardener shakes his head and mutters about its lack of a proper trunk and root system, I leap to its defence. Over my dead body!!

John Singer Sargent Influences

This is my first effort at attempting a watercolour from my own composition but observing the colours, values and style of JSS. I photographed these little lemon trees late on a winter afternoon - so no chance of a sun-kissed reference full of wonderful dramatic shadows! I had to make it up.

I considered using candle wax for highlights as JSS did in some of his watercolours but opted for a white oil pastel which I used to give some texture to the wall, pots and ground. In future I would prefer to leave the paper clean for dramatic highlights but will certainly use this trick again on walls.

I wish I hadn't been quite so violent with the violet so close to that Light Red terra. It pleases HWEM and it pleases me enough to continue on this path.

Oh dear, is that JSS I hear, turning in his grave?