Pink Carnation Study on Camel

Carnation Study on Camel, 8x8, Oil on Canvas, Sold

Carnations are a tenacious bloom. My son brought these over at Easter and they are still holding on. Unbelievable. 

I've never painted carnations before and really wondered what I was getting myself into with all the layers they have. It really gave me a chance to get in there and focus. Then I had to un-focus a little just to simplify them somewhat so they weren't quite so tight.

My thought here was about the pink blooms and how to make all that pink fit into my house - or any house. I had been told once that pink was the kiss of death relating to a painting. Stay away from it. But really, that only makes me want to paint it more...get the picture?

This experiment was painted with a camel-ish colored background because it's similar to my walls at home.  I did a quick color study on a scrap board and found it pleasing so it was time to get down and dirty and start painting.  The real test was staring at it in my house for a while to see if it really DID work or if I was just in denial about the whole PINK thing.

I like it.  It might not work in a bachelor pad.  More of a granny style bedroom kind of feel.  I actually have one of those (I refer to it as heirloom decor) and it would fit there nicely but it was drying in my TV room and frankly, it looked great there.  Or even my dining room which has cranberry accents.

I dont have any degrees in interior decorating and I'm starting to see how that could benefit me when I'm putting together a painting but at the end of the day, if I dont like it in my house, it doesnt get posted.

There you have it.  Pink Carnations on Camel.  :)