For the last several weeks I’ve been working on a series of line and watercolor wash drawings of Helleborus niger. Each is 4 x 6 inches and when complete, I’ll bind them together in a nifty book structure ( more on the binding later).
I’ve been fascinated by hellebores for years and have several in my garden. They are mysterious plants – the first to bloom in the spring, shiny, leathery evergreen leaves. In the autumn under the surface of the soil small pale shoots which will be the next spring’s flowers begin to form.
The roots are also famously poisonous, causing cardiac failure if taken in sufficient amount. Magical lore suggests that powdered hellebore root will confer the power of invisibility if sprinkled along one’s path. Read more.
Each of these drawings will be folded in half to create facing pages in the upcoming book. The crease is visible in a couple of these pics.