BALLARD: Still under that sweet pink spell

I stared at the blank piece of white paper in front of me in hopes that some inspiration would come to my rescue. This was hardly the first time I found myself in this situation. It happens every time I begin the process of creating.

Holding the pencil in my hand, there was no doubt I was going need some assistance. It was time to give my imagination a call and pray it would answer.

I was very close to a deadline for my spring T-shirt design. While I waited on my imagination to arrive, my mind wandered back to the first time I heard of a cherry blossom. After doing the math -- while watching every shade of pink imaginable swirl through my head -- I realized we were introduced well over 30 years ago.

At that time, I certainly didn't know that those blossoms and I would have the long-term relationship we developed, but we became very close indeed.

It really shouldn't surprise me in the least. After all, who could resist the incredible beauty of the delicate, pale pink blossoms that cover Macon like a blanket in late March? The blooms are truly hypnotic and there is no doubt I fell under their pink spell. Cherry blossoms have been my muses to draw and paint over the years, and there I sat once again attempting to capture their beauty.

The first T-shirt I designed featuring cherry blossoms was all the way back in 1986 when I called upon a blue bird to perch on one of their branches. Proudly nestled in a pink and white profusion of blooms, the blue bird felt at home -- and so did I!

One T-shirt design turned into two and, as the years ticked by, I was challenged to think of different ways to showcase their beauty.

Sometimes I focused on the simplicity of a single bloom, while other times I opted for rendering them grouped in lovely clusters. Some designs took on more graphic shapes, while I used realistic techniques for others.

My designs have been printed on every shade of pink shirt available as well as other spring colors like lime green and pastel blue.

A few years ago, I used tiny cherry blossoms to form a large heart. Initially that design was printed on a shirt that was a wonderful shade of fuchsia and was very popular. But, in the process of lining up the screens for printing, a black tee shirt was grabbed from a pile and used as a sample.

Surprisingly, it was very dramatic on the black shirt. I decided I would wear the black one. It appealed to others and another order was printed on black shirts.

During the years, my brushes have been dipped into every shade of pink -- from bubble gum to a shocking hot pink that easily could have been a lipstick or nail polish. Sometimes I softened the shades of pink by adding a dab of white paint, and other times I opted to use them in their full intensity. No matter what the design featured, it always included pink.

I also invited insects to unite with the cherry blossoms to cheer on spring. Bees have buzzed in from all directions and in various sizes. One of my designs consisted of a huge, colorful bee made entirely of flowers. When I saw the butterflies becoming jealous, I let them to join the party. The more the merrier, I thought. One year a lively group of lady bugs attended and, at the last minute, a plump green frog jumped front and center.

With each design I finish, I ask myself these questions, "What can I possibly do with cherry blossoms to create another unique and fresh design? How many ways can I showcase their beauty?" So, there I sat waiting on my imagination to give me the solution. All I knew was that pink would definitely be part of the equation.

For my 30th year celebrating our famous cherry blossoms on T-shirts, I decided to share the spotlight with some other spring beauties. A bright yellow daffodil, a vibrant two-toned purple pansy, and a graceful dogwood bloom sit side-by-side in harmony with a pink cherry blossom. Together, their colors just scream spring.

I guess as long as the cherry blossoms continue to burst forth in the spring, I'll continue to create artwork involving them. Their beauty is hard to ignore -- and I'm clearly still under their pink spell!

Mark Ballard's column runs each week in The Telegraph. Send your questions or comments to P.O. Box 4232, Macon, GA 31208; call 478-757-6877; email markballard@cox.net; follow him at instagram.com/markcreates; or become a subscriber to Mark's Facebook page.

This story was originally published March 19, 2016 at 8:39 PM with the headline "BALLARD: Still under that sweet pink spell ."