This year the Chinese New Year is on February 19, the year of the Sheep. Every year, I would celebrate this special occasion with a painting and this year is even more special because I was born on the year of sheep.
For weeks I had been thinking what my subject matter should be for this year’s painting. Then one day my mother brought up one of my orchid plant from the basement.
It was my miniature cymbidium orchid ( Chinese called it gentleman orchid) which has produce two flower stems! I borough this plant few years ago while it was in bloom from the flower market in Chinatown just before the Chinese New Year. Bring fresh flowers and plants home for the New Year is a Chinese tradition as to bring in new life and energy for the New Year.
However I discovered how difficult to make the Cymbidium orchid to bloom which required a cool period to force it blooms. The last few years, I started to hang my orchid plants on our pear tree in our garden when spring comes. During the late fall I brought them back indoor and the cymbidium was one of them I had it kept in the bright basement window. Ever since I done this other Cymbidium orchid plants had bloomed for me but not this one. So I was particularly delight with this surprise and it been so long since I seen it in bloom I couldn’t even remember the color of the flowers any more. Within days, one by one the flowers started to open; they are soft greenish yellow with a touch of soft pink at the center.
Watercolor on Arches paper, 16”x10”
alfredngdesign 