On a hike at Jacks Peak in Monterey a few weeks ago, I noticed the bright red berries of California honeysuckle (Lonicera hispidula) hanging from vines that twined around trees and shrubs along the trail. I had always thought that they would be fun to paint in acrylic, and when I saw a thicket of snowberries (Symphoricarpos albus) under a stand of oak trees, I thought their waxy white fruits would be a great compliment to the cherry-red honeysuckle berries. After doing a little research online, I discovered they’re even part of the same family—Caprifoliaceae, the honeysuckle family.
Since snowberry fruits are white, I chose a sand-colored Canson paper for my background. I love painting white on toned paper and seeing the highlights come to life.
