Magical world of ferns

What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have never been discovered.

Ralph Waldo Emerson 

Fern plants have always fascinated me, since i watched them grow as a kid in the shade of wild hazelnut bushes and willow trees along the little creek that runs through my grandmothers garden in Austria. They look old and timeless, like they've been here on this earth for millions of years, like something, that dinosaurs lived with. Yet their ornamental leaves have a very elegant quality to me too, and the way they grow and unfold, while they get bigger in spring, reminds me of underwater creatures, of sea-anemons and urchins. 

This year, i took pictures of a huge fern that grows in my own garden, using a background painted in turquoise, to bring out the shapes better. These photos inspired me to do the painting you see above. 

Little wheels turning, shining, spinning with green energy!

Happy start to your week lovelies - enjoy the bright energy of summer!
Here, in the last picture you can see where the painting has found a new home.

Photos and painting: Martina Voigt-Schmid