6 rabbit oil pastels at a show

I created an oil pastel (with burnt lines into the illustration board) series for the Orangeville Art Group Show and Sale this weekend:

Tales of the Ridge Rabbits and Gazebo Bunnies

            In my backyard, beneath the gazebo live the Gazebo Bunnies.  They come out to eat in the garden, on the lawn, and on the deck.  Often I see them hopping about or sunning themselves on the grass.  The babies often hide beneath the garden leaves and have startled me as I work in the garden.  I have felt like Mr. McGregor at times.

            Now beyond the cedars that encircle our property live the Ridge Rabbits who come through the trees to sit upon the backyard ridge and look down at the gardens, lawns and pond. Their venturing further into the property awakens the ire of the Gazebo Bunnies who come from their safe home beneath the gazebo to chase the Ridge Rabbits from the premises.  Sometimes a Ridge Rabbit will turn to defy a Gazebo Bunny with a resulting aerial fight wherein both stand on hind legs and paw (box) each other and then jump into the air to kick with their hind legs.  The fight is quite a sight.  Eventually the Ridge Rabbits are driven from the property –but they are never deterred for good- and peace is restored to the yard.

            Each oil pastel painting in this series depicts an actual event and a story to be told.

Maybe I'll continue the series and make a book out of the drawings.  My granddaughters may help me with the story.  (I'm in a Beatrix Potter mode.)   We will see.

Now, at the show,  people could not believe I had done rabbits(? )  I don't know what they think I do.  I have done cats and other animals.   The subject matter is irrelevant -is the composition good, the craftsmanship good, and does it say something about the subject.

I will post them as individual oil pastel pieces later.