I loved the way these yellow roses appeared just before reaching their fullest glory in bloom. They have a vibrant, young quality about them and the golden, warm light of sunset illuminating this bouquet was beautiful. The yellows were intensified by the warm light, but remained subtle. The light helped to shift the shadows towards warmth. Working from direct observation, I needed to capture my vision for this painting rapidly. I created the drawing for this painting in a single session. The painting was created in two sessions and the method of painting leans towards alla prima. Alla prima is a method of painting using a wet-on-wet technique, where the paint application is direct and brushwork more painterly. Works are generally started and finished in a single session. 

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I must be fascinated by challenges. I enjoy drawing from life, but creating artwork from living, organic things can be intimidating. When I chose the subject of flowers to grow my skills, all I really wanted was to have a new and beautiful subject to draw everyday, and to enhance my daily routine. Those that have the experience of drawing from life will assure you that the longest, most time consuming piece of the observational drawing and painting process, is the drawing. The drawing is the map for the painting, which helps with the interpretation of the subject during the painting process.

A quick glance at a bouquet of flowers is not threatening, but the first few days of my experiment, I started feeling the constraints of time. There is an intense pressure involved in trying to capture the likeness of something that is only alive for a week. Before my subject becomes lifeless, there are several things I must achieve: finish the drawing, grab enough details from the subject to accurately inform a painting, and finally complete a painting that conveys vibrancy. This is so challenging when not relying on a photograph for cues.

This drawing of Tulips shows days 6-7 of life. I was unable to draw the subject entirely alive, because on day 8, the stems fell heavy, and the petals gave way to the pull of gravity. I think the absence of the tulip blooms in the drawing adds a bit of mystery and narrates fully the constraints of time. 

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….inspired by Manet's flower paintings, who in his dying days was greeted by artist friends bearing floral gifts. What did he do in those last days?....Painted the flowers, of course. Gloomy, maybe. Flower bouquets make very suitable subjects: flowers don't get tired, only thirsty, do not move or require a break, flower varieties are endless, and the bouquets are always a challenge to draw and paint from life.

....I am rediscovering the art of drawing and painting from life-observation only-no cameras. I relied heavily on the crutch of photography for a while. Now, I use a home-made plumb line (2 washers and a string), a bamboo skewer (unused of course) and a few rulers (because I love straight lines). I have the pride of creating artwork made by my eyes, hands and head without the translation of a camera lens or sensor. I guess I just needed to prove to myself that the skills I worked to achieve  during my University days were not lost to the past.