Hollyhocks Galore!

This past summer  hollyhocks lined the walkway to my back door. They greeted me when I went out and welcomed me when I returned. How could I resist painting them? When I was little, my mother always had hollyhocks planted in her summer gardens. These old fashioned flowers are one of my favorites and remind me of  our summers in Marshfield, MA and of our family summer home. I set up my easel and a small stool and quickly started blocking in the flowers. I decided to do a cluster of them, looking up to emphasize their 7 foot plus height. I eliminated the other flora in the scene to keep the focus on the hollyhocks and their rhythmic movement and red/green harmony. The result is fun and spontaneous as I had to work quickly to keep up with the fleeting light.

Quick and Loose

The Rhody is the star!  12x16 oil May 2014

Painting some fragile pieces from the garden I knew would be a one-and-done session. I began, after a quick thumbnail, by mapping out the composition with a few broad strokes. Then I massed in the darks with a thin layer of paint. I knew I wanted a yellow-orange/blue violet harmony so I was able to mix some puddles of paint to blend with and start layering it on, blocking in my shapes and values. After, I was able to start applying the paint thickly and quickly to make the rhododendron the star, pop the colors and sharpen and blur edges to move the viewers eye rhythmically around the space. The rhythm corresponds to the manner in which I painted it: quick and loose.

Stop and smell the roses!

Valentine surprise  12x16 oil

Once in a while I am drawn to something immediately. The combination of the shoes,  purse and flowers grabbed me right away. It all looked so "girly" ! I figured the roses would fade and get droopy before I finished the painting, so I worked diligently on them the first day while still blocking in all my shapes and values. It is usually best to work up everything at the same time, but with something like flowers, I have to make an exception. Because of this, the painting has a somewhat spontaneous quality and freshness that I really like. Be sure to take time to stop and smell the roses.