Protea; On the Mauna Kea Volcanic Slopes

This is one of five in a series of paintings called the Common Tropicals of Hawaii.  This is the Pink Mink Protea, it has soft feathery type tips on the inflorescence.  I went to a protea farm on the slopes of the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii and had an all day tour of many different varieties.  The painting represents what most people think of as the real flower but it is actually the inflorescence.  On the left hand side of the painting is both a pencil sketch of the true flower and the root or rhizome.  These paintings take months of diligent study and work painting with a magnifying glass and very small brushes.