#WorldWatercolorGroup - Day 1 - Bees - Hidden Wonders - Doodlewash
By Charlie

Hidden Wonders

Written by Charlie O'Shields

Today is the first day of the month which marks a brand new Doodlewash adventure. Actually, this one isn’t completely brand new as it was the second ever group challenge proposed here on this site just before the first annual World Watercolor Month back in June 2016. That one was just a theme and didn’t include prompts of any kind. Prompts started the following month and have continued ever since. Since that one started with a bee, based on nothing other than that’s what I happen to chose, I figured this one should begin the same way. After that, with no prompts to guide me, there were a lot of odd insects that showed up as I rather enjoyed painting them. Granted, insects in my style are not exactly cute since they’re painted rather real, and depending on how you feel about some of them, they could be a bit terrifying. But as a kid, I found them all equally fascinating and not creepy at all. The tiniest little bits of life, hidden under a leaf or peeking out from under the petals of a flower. In truth, I still find these tiny creatures fascinating, but have learned as an adult that they can indeed sometimes be a nuisance as well.

Last year our home was so inviting that a few hundred honey bees decided to make it theirs as well. We first saw a few flying around the top corner of our roof. We didn’t think much of it at that time, but soon more joined and we realized we had a bit of an infestation. It was a few days before we actually saw that there might be a problem. Bee experts were called in to look at humanely removing our house guests. And in a way, I was a bit sad to see them relocated, but I know our house wasn’t built to house them properly. And having a few pounds of honey dripping through the walls certainly wasn’t an option in the end. I’m not sure Phineas would have been okay with having hundreds of brothers and sisters and a queen in the family. I’m rather sure he fancies himself the queen in ours already. Philippe and I are merely the diligent worker bees who do everything he needs to have a perfect life. A rather awesome way to live when you think about it. I rather envy him.

Nature is certainly a fabulous mystery, though, that can’t be fully solved so much as observed with awe and admiration. The more we learn, the more we find we must still learn. And that’s a pretty incredible thing. For each little discovery and technological advancement, there are still tiny species that we haven’t yet discovered at all. Some day in the future, we’ll find and name some creature that’s entirely new to us. As our own species also looks to outer space and the idea of extraterrestrial life with fascination, we’ve yet to even find all the life that exists in the world in which we already live. To me, this is a rather thrilling notion. It’s like we can never really fully grow up, because there’s always something new to discover. Each new walk down a path uncharted can reveal something that, even if already documented by scientists, is still new to us. I’ve never really worried much about figuring life out, because it’s far too fun to simply live it. Perhaps, one day, we may discover life beyond our own little green planet, but for now, I’m perfectly content exploring what’s already here, and finding all of those amazing hidden wonders.

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About the Doodlewash

Da Vinci Paint Co.: Quinacridone Red, Benzimida Orange, Leaf Green, Da Vinci Yellow, Cobalt Blue, and Payne’s Gray.  Lamy Al-Star Safari Fountain Pen with sepia ink in an A5 Hahnemühle Watercolour Book.
  #WorldWatercolorGroup - Day 1 - Bees - Hidden Wonders - Doodlewash

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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31 thoughts on “Hidden Wonders”

  2. You, Phineas, and several thousand bee friends – rather a hilarious thing to imagine, wondering who will escape fastest. At least this one in the portrait is fine and handsome. We’ve had a few honey bee infestations as well. You’re right – they don’t go with families, at least not when attached to your home. I’ve always had a strong belief that insects do not belong in my home. Except in art.

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  3. Incredible detail on your bee! I was afraid of insects as a kid. My older brother told me that the earwigs infesting our willow tree would crawl into your ears and eat your brain. I stayed up at night, afraid to sleep because earwigs might get into the house and crawl up my pillow. I’ve distrusted all insects, bugs and beetles ever since.

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  4. Your bee is great, and so is your forsythia. I love bees and sit under my crab apple tree when it is in bloom where it feels as if the tree and i are about to lift off.

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  6. Wow, very nice bee! Indeed, seeing the insects close up makes them terrifying. Even the butterflies, when you get past the beautiful wings. I really love painting nature, which pushed me to finally join the prompts (and paint daily, which is the harder part). Still it would be my first time to paint a number of them and I’m thrilled to be on this nature exploration with you and the group! 🙂

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  11. Lovely bee! We had a similar infestation of bees a few years back – there was a swarm of the things around the roof and in the yard! Fortunately, honey bees are generally happy creatures; it would be fun to actually keep some in a hive of their own, rather than sharing ours.

    I guess Doodlewash is another queen bee altogether, but I’m sure she too appreciates the work you put in!

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