Artist Interrupted....

Yesterday my daughter had her baby - a beautiful baby boy.  So, I am an artist who is happily interrupted!  So, it is time for show 'n tell from "days gone by" art.  I started this as a watercolor on watercolor paper and was displeased.  So I tried pastel pencil over it and had a lot of fun with the detail aspect.  This is a large Proteus flower - a tropical flower grown in Hawaii.  They fascinate me because the center is furry-like.  I always have to touch them! 

I found my reference photo, which I took on a trip to Hawaii, so it is original.  I have never shown this before because I considered it a practise piece for many years.  Now that I am doing pastel over watercolor on purpose, I am changing my view of this painting!