Whenever I go for a hike in the woods I am always intrigued by the lush ferns that grow in the shade. They are so abundant, and lush but come from such humble beginnings. How can these little things unravel into such beautiful foilage? Painted on sturdy 170 lb canvas paper, I have painted first with acrylics and then layered with oils. You can see the dawn's first light just breaking through the leaves, causing the little fiddleheads to start unwinding.