Studying flowers in the garden gives me a moment of calm, a time to take a deep breath, and be in the moment feeling the air around me, picking up the scent of orange blossoms near me, and closing my eyes to the sun.
Roses bloom in the garden with exuberance right now, even when excessive heat curls the tips and tinges the edges brown. I watch the roses change in a short time from first buds to gloriously open to losing their luster, decadent, and faded. The drooping petals, as they slump towards decay, remind me of women from the Victorian era in their voluminous, but tired velvet gowns.
Roses with color variations on their petals make perfect painting material. I can push colors to the edge of each petal and brush in another to mix in with the first color. Sometimes, if I add too much color, I can let the paint dry then pull out some of the deeper color with a damp brush and mingle another color with it.
I could have blended the edges a bit more on the flower on the left to eliminate the line between the pink and yellow on the petals. Luckily, I can still go back to this painting and fix that. Watercolor is easier to manipulate than most people think.
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The edges on this rose look much better. I managed to paint a more subtle gradation from pink to yellow.
A walk around the garden gives me time to recharge, refresh, look around me, and find something challenging to paint.
from Jane on FB: What a beautiful study of roses Martha Heimdahl Slavin !! And I love that you can manipulate the paintings so well. You have an amazing gift!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Jane.
DeleteFrom Linda on FB: those rose paintings are lovely. I never had the patience. Good for you, I think it’s been in your nature forever. It’s a good thing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda. Yes, it's in my "nature." Remember our first garden in the backyard?
DeleteFrom Steve by email: Love them ! My Dad (and later me) had a rose garden (30 rose bushes), Very special memories.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing
You are welcome, Steve. My grandmother had a garden but not so many roses as your dad's. Mostly Calla lilies and irises.
DeleteFrom Mary by email: You captured the roses at their most stunning time, the first bloom is always the best. I really enjoy when you share your words about your art passions, whether it be calligraphy or watercolor painting or writing. I feel like I get a glimpse into your thoughts. As always, thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary, for continuing to read my blog posts. I know you have a beautiful garden too -- full of roses.
ReplyDeleteFrom Gary by email: Still loving all your Friday stories. Love roses.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Gary. The watercolor sketch by your daughter is terrific and one of my favorite subjects!
DeleteFrom Cheryl by email: Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWe are loving our roses too.
Thank you, Cheryl, you are such a gardener. Fits you!
DeleteFrom Letty by email: It sounds so peaceful in your art garden.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is a peaceful place. When we bought the house 40 years ago, there was nothing there. The trees that now tower over parts of the yard were mere sticks. It has gone through many changes, but it is now at its best.
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