Classic Lilacs

I really admire those that do realistic paintings that can be mistaken for a photograph. But I found out long ago that painting that way doesn’t fit my style or personality. This painting is made up of loose and impressionistic strokes to give an idea of a vase of lilacs.That is all I need to make me happy.

Growth Opportunity

The paintings in my head often don’t turn out the same when I bring them to life. This is not always a bad thing, though..after I started painting this it reminded me of Miss Havisham’s garden.It us a little wild, a little controlled and a little Victorian.

SUMMER RETURN

Green is a tricky color. The green that comes from a tube of green paint is rarely found in nature. Most artists work to mix a green that is more true to what  we all see outdoors. The best greens are made mixing yellow and blue with a bit of the complement of green—red. The red dulls the color to a more neutral hue.This neutral green makes the beautiful colors of the flowers pop.

Energy

I like the colors in this painting of flowers. The title suits the arrangement because there seems to be a lot of energy happening with all of the colors and shapes interacting with each other. They all seem to be waiting for a party to happen.

Best Bottles

There are often dozens of shapes, values and colors in a glass bottle or jar. They also change depending on the lighting and time of day. It is all a matter of painting just what you see. Adding some beautiful flowers seals the deal.

Weekend Update

I painted something similar to this a while ago but as always it is pretty impossible to duplicate exactly what I had painted before. I do like to paint something more than once. There is always something different that turns up. I think of Monet who painted many views of haystacks in different light. I think he learned something each time; maybe I will too!

Zinnia Balance

I find zinnias especially challenging to paint. For some perverse reason this  makes me want to keep painting them. I think they are so beautiful and pleasing to the eye that I can’t help trying over and over to get the perfect depiction of them. Worth the effort!

Hit PArade

Close ups ups are a favorite point of view of mine to paint.They seem to cut away everything that isn’t important and emphasize what is. In this painting it doesn’t matter what room the geraniums are in or if indoors or outdoors. It is just the viewer and the essence of the flowers.

Get Together

The composition of a painting can be tricky. Sometimes the center of interest is a larger shape than others or can be a color that stands out from the rest of the painting. In this painting I wanted the viewer to travel around the interior of the painting without the eyes leaving the edges. Although rhis painting is small, it is powerful.