Being Partners Is Fun!

Once in a while my thinking cap is ON. I adore a local florist, Cymbidium Floral, in Exeter, NH. Owner Jess Christoferson makes the most lovely, luscious, elegant bouquets one can imagine. And I can get a little tired of my own flower power vision. A little bit like putting the same outfit on, day after day, because everything is comfortable. Well, she was super up for partnering up, given our mutual love of flowers! She gave me this little beauty, which I spent the weekend working my way around (and around). I love all of the delicate little blooms that she included with the larger ranunculus, anemone, and sweet pea.

Here is what I started with:

I mean really. Look at THIS!

First Try. 8 x 8, oil on panel. I like the color and marks, but I think I missed the mark with the neck of the vase.

Day 2: flowers are just as lovely. I decide to go a little larger, and use a vertical format, so I can include all of the flowers, cascading down and curling up!

Day 2 Bouquet. 14 x 11. Oil on panel.

Day 3: bring out the painting box! My trusty cardboard box helps me mellow things out and soften the edges. Unfortunately, there is so much glare on the image right now, I could only take a picture on an angle. But you get the drift.

Day 3, in the box! It was a very dark, dreary day, which you can’t really get from this photo.

Day 3 Bouquet, 18 x 18, oil on panel.

Day 4. I forgot to take a photo! The most delicate blooms had given up, but the larger were still going strong. I changed the vase to glass as I needed a slightly wider neck to hold the expanded flowers. But I sat it on a ledge today and enjoyed the bright afternoon light cascading over the blooms, which created a beautiful purple shadow. This last one was painted in a flash, at the end of the day.

Hopefully we will continue to grow our budding (couldn’t resist that one) partnership and maybe, someday, you will see some of my little paintings if you venture into her lovely shop, right on 144 Water Street in Exeter, NH!