Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Hurricanes and hydrangea

We've just had a hurricane on the East Coast, I'm sure you've noticed.  I spent the day placing buckets under the various leaks in the studio and trying not to worry too much about the likelihood of the windows blowing out.  Thanks to preparing for Open Studios, all my work was fairly organized, and I had gotten it wrapped up and tucked under a table before the leaking began.  I'm very thankful to have been spared to brunt of the storm. Yesterday the sun came out again, and I went for a long walk along the river to check on the beautiful old trees that grace my regular route.  Most stood up to the storm.  As I was walking I came across a hydrangea bush that had had all of its heavy blooms ripped off and strewn around by the storm.  I gathered a few, as they were still fresh and beautiful, and decided a few quick, small paintings were in order before the flowers faded--and also, being a bit pressed for time what with cleaning up from the storm and finishing framing and hanging and organizing for open studios, I didn't have the time for anything more.

Here are the paintings--oil on panel, both:


9x12"



10x10"


Hydrangea I find particularly tricky to paint. They require a particular patience to find the balance between too much detail, with which they start looking over wrought and tedious, and too little, with which they turn into amorphous, cotton candy-like, blobs of color.  I think these little studies are my most successful attempts yet. 


And here's one last mushroom painting, just for fun:





1 comment: