Tendril Twists & Turns

I have a severe fixation on tendrils. I can't explain it-- I just love them. My passionflower vine, for instance, with insanely rambunctious tendrils reaching out every which way & fiercely latching onto anything handy-- clearly it has a diabolical plan to take over the universe, & it's pretty much accomplished Phase One: Leah's garden-- but I forgive all its thuggish characteristics when I see those outlandish curlicues doing their flourishy thing. (Despots always know how to play on our weaknesses!)

I have a tendency to overdose on tendrils in my artwork too-- it's a trait I keep meaning to rein in, but much like the passionflower, it's proven too vigorous for my powers of control.

But as I was sketching Goodly Creature, I thought I had the perfect excuse for a pair of tendrils: they could create a nice double helix, thus reinforcing the genetic theme! Yay!

Only when I was painting them I was very very tired (this piece has been something of a studio marathon) & I ended up getting the crisscrosses mixed up, & my carefully-planned, scientifically justifiable symbol turned into a random tendril-tangle. Much like my garden... & yes, perhaps my mind.

Oh, well. Goodly's a bit of a random fellow in general, so I guess it's not entirely inappropriate that his helices lost their way. But the Tendril Druthers still haunt me a little.

Please click the image for details. To see all the posts in this process, please click the "Goodly Creature" label below.