Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Inspired by Purple Cone Flowers

Daily Practice
Journal
Splatter and Splash

The cone flowers in my garden have run riot! I can see an entire bed of green and pink from my front windows, and last year, a lone white appeared among the pink blossoms. This year, a second cluster of white flowers has appeared, and I've added some new varieties as well to see if they'll wind up mingling ... my own botanical experiments.

This set of cone flowers was painted a few weeks ago when my friend Jodi came to paint. We sat on the porch in pretty warm weather, and painted to the quietness of summer - a few birds breaking the silence with their songs, crickets and tree frogs chirping for water.

My approach here was my typical splatter and splash ... the painting has a firmer feel to me than the previous approach - much like the flowers themselves.

What I like in both cases are the variation in edges - how some disappear into the others, some hard edged, some fading into nothing ... still the individuation of each flower is bothering me and I'll be playing again with this subject.

Meantime, it's back to work and a full week of catch up ... hot temperatures (in the high 90sF), and the great need for rain.

Stay cool!

3 comments:

Lorraine said...

I so enjoy your "experiments." The cone flowers in the first painting look more impressionistic while the second ones look more defined and realistic. Love the colors and the way the light plays around them. White ones!!! Never heard of such. You are an experimenter on many levels.

Good luck this week. Very very hot and humid here today too. Must run out to do errands early.
Hugs,
Lorraine

Teri said...

How beautiful with all those wonderful cone flowers running rampant in the garden and captured by you.

Joan said...

I love the pinks and yellows...it just feels like summer. Lovely work!!