Pear Flower

I must have stared at my Chinese Pear trees for the last 10 years, each year contemplating whether to thin the pear blossoms or not.  I was told thinning the blossoms will give me bigger pears.  As it is my pears are tiny, but abundant.  In fact so many of them fell to the ground each year that it seemed such a waste.
Fortunately the Canadian geese have developed a taste for them now and they are helping  themselves to juicy (fermented?) pears on the ground in the Fall.

This year I decided to paint my Pear blossom, ala  En Plein Air.  As I am also studying Chinese calligraphy, I thought it would opportune myself to "write" each petal.  I would attempt to write each blossom with my Chinese brush, with infinite patience, and observation, and different brush strokes.

I am also doing this painting on my calligraphy paper.  I was told this paper is made of bamboo fibers and is colored yellow.  Not unlike the toilet papers that I remembered growing up.  The paper is very absorbent and "honest", in that it captures faithfully your brush stroke.  Unlike ordinary Xuan, it is not good in recording shades of grey, but it excels in reporting the sharp edges and streaks rendered by your brush.

I picked this subject matter because each petal is akin to writing a "dot" in Chinese calligraphy.  Not necessary round, but some requires you to hide the tip, while others demands a parade of tips and hooks and twists.  Intriguing indeed.  Thus I spent quite a few days, sitting in the backyard, painting on my picnic table.  A tedious process,  for I am not a patient individual.  A rewarding process, for the finished work is one that I could be proud of.

Finished painting is 16 in x 16 in, mounted on Canvas, ala Xuan-Boo style.