Tulips!

Not a single one of these came up in my yard, thanks to the marauding deer!  Some were bought at Bolt's Farm (on Atwood Road, south of Charlevoix).  Some were from Pine Hill Nursery.  The black tulip came from a friend's yard in Traverse City. 

All of these were painted in oils, on 6x6" stretched canvas, by me (!), Margie Guyot.

The first year I moved up here to Eastport, I planted quite a few fancy tulips.  Alas, tulips don't last many years before all that comes up are the leaves.  And it's a constant battle to keep the deer -- and rabbits! -- from chewing them to the ground.  But this summer I'm going to order a plethora of parrot tulips.  Next spring I'll have a wild bunch to work from!

Some artists think I'm selling out by doing these small paintings "for the tourists".  That's not the way I think of it.  These are my "studies".  I think that painting this series of flowers has helped sharpen my skills of observation and painting.  And heck, if they sell.....!