Buddleia

Buddleia

Yes I am aware they are not roses, and they are not red. But they were painted by me, and they were grown in my own garden. Yes they are blue. It seems my blue challenge started sooner than I had realised.

I thought the story today had to have some flowers. Flowers are not something that I paint very often apart from poppies which I just cannot resist. I painted these last summer. The butterflies love these flowers and they do grow very easily all over this part of the world. These flowers were picked for a bush I had planted to show my son how easy they were to grow.

He and I were sitting in the back garden and he mentioned them. I told him how to take a cutting from a plant. I showed him what to do and stuck it in the soil. Two years later I picked this bunch and painted them.

So with that thought and that story I added them to today’s blog.

This blog is linked to my other.  I Cannot Ignore The Day

Cape Lilly

Cape Lilly

Is it not amazing the wonder of a flower? I used to tell all wedding groups to please take care to look deeply at the flowers that played such an important part in any marriage. They are the silent witnesses to the events of the day. They silently contribute to the beauty of the event.


The wonder of nature in all its glory.

It is no surprise then when I started painting that my first steps into art were my attempts at painting flowers. Strangely, I was never really attracted to botanical art where the artist strives for the perfection of the flower. I did attend a workshop where a wonderful botanical artist led us through her process. In three hours we did about four petals.

Meditation plays a very important role in my life and how often the beauty of a flower can hold my mind in thoughtless wonder for a wondrous time of peace.

So the flowers I paint are not the flowers of perfection but the flowers that stir my inner being. Some of you whose blogs I follow have fed me with the wonders of your flowers so often and I thank you all.

So today I give you one of mine.

One of the first ones I painted when I first got my hands on acrylic paint. I painted it on canvas 16” x 20”.

I was so surprised when somebody offered to purchase it. I had sat contemplating it for a good number of days. I occasionally put it on my computer screen and still do so.


I am not sure if I will manage to post my blog this weekend but will make every effort to do so.



This blog is linked to my other where the art is used:- The Sound of One Hand

Along the Hedgerow

Along the Hedgerow.

I am sure that I used this painting on my other blog some time ago when I was writing it for myself and one or two others. To those who have seen this before I apologise. I used it on the other blog because I was talking about The Doc who was at the autumn of his life when I met him, as was Harry the other character I met. Harry played an important part in helping me get where I wanted to be as some of you may know if not that is another day.


This painting was also used today because I would like to tell you about this paintings short history. I, when not suffering from throwing myself off caravan roofs, go running to try and keep myself mobile and fit. I love running forest trails and mountains. It was last autumn that I saw these interesting plants along the edge of a hedgerow. They had some very interesting seed heads and the leaves were turning to autumn colours. I just could not resist painting them and did two versions of it.

Neither of them sold and they have been hanging for some time now. Normally I would move paintings frequently from one of my venues to the other and then if I still had them keep them for a bit before deciding what to do. Unfortunately because of my fall I have been unable to do this until this week. This was the first of the two to be moved. I changed it to the local inn and already they have had interest shown in it being purchased and they are sure it will be sold by the end of the weekend. We shall see but it just shows that what does not look well in one place does in another.

This and the other one were painted using acrylic and painted using knives. The paint is heavy and so gives a textured effect.

Can I thank you all for your comments about my watercolour. In the light of those comments I will have another try. Today though I am heading off to my allotment I need to spend some time finishing the planting of my vegetables and hoe some of the weeds than have been left to their own during my recent incapacity. Fresh air and the banter of fellow gardeners will be good.

 
This blog is linked to my other blog where I used this painting:-  The Doc and Homecoming