National Artichoke Day March 16

to honor this healthy veg.

Not surprisingly, California grows nearly all

the artichokes produced in the U.S.

My original watercolor illustration.

I drew them in pencil, scanned them, and then painted them.

That way I have two versions, and I really like

the way they look together.

I put the design on a ceramic tile in my Zazzle shop.

There are a variety of artichoke festivals, one being in

Castroville, CA where the first artichoke shoots

were planted in 1922.

And on a kitchen towel.

I like having a variety of kitchen towels

to hang from my stove handle.

A little further reading about artichokes

taught me they are one of the oldest

foods in the world and people

were enjoying them in the 8th century.

This drawing was inspired by an artichoke

flower I bought at the Carson City farmers market

one season. I loved how big, full, and purple it was.

Artichokes are great for the liver so I made an

herbal materia medica study card for it.

Personally, I like the hearts on my sandwiches.

Cathie Richardson Illustration