Rhododendron Dreams

This painting is part of "Flower fairies" series inspired by a spontaneous scene I observed in Bellevue Botanical Gardens. During my plein air painting session, two girls suddenly emerged in outfits which beautifully matched flowers around them (it was during spring blossoming season). They appeared just like spirits of flowers who assumed human looks 🙂 I discovered later that rhododendron symbolizes temptation, danger and caution in Victorian flower language, while in some Asian cultures it is considered a symbol for elegance and wealth. This duality probably has its origin in the striking beauty and poisonous nature of this plant, making rhododendrons a fascinating subject to study in watercolor medium!