I really enjoy HGTV magazine, it is always so colorful. This was from October of 2015 and the flowers on the front really grabbed me and that’s where I got the inspiration for my latest painting “Orange Bouquet”.

Orange and blue are one of my favorite combos. I selected my orange, orange red, florescent orange, quinacridone red-orange, a Target paint named carrot and randomly placed them on the canvas until I decided it was full enough. I knew that once I started adding to them, then the flowers would become much larger and fuller and fill in. The vase I drew in and then painted over with titanium white to give it a base so it would be easier to put whatever color I decided on. The background also has a couple of hearts.

This book I picked up at a second hand book store in Bar Harbor Maine. It has the most wonderful close up pictures of birds in their habitats and I use it all the time. I don’t like to just guess with animals or birds or insects because I will leave key elements out. I find actual pictures and then make a loose rendition of the critter. It’s more fun for me in my own style.

This is the finished painting of “Orange Bouquet”. The flowers were built up with acrylic paint and molding paste. Some of the flowers have three different colors of paint along with fine iridescent gold paint (my favorite) and bronze paint. Torn paper roses, white flowing vines with yellow-green tiny berries. The vase ended up being Prussian blue. Little hummingbird was cut out of yellow green wallpaper and then the other elements were painted on. The actual canvas size is 18 X 18 and a 11 X 11 print can be purchased in my shop for $25.00 plus shipping.