Twiggs Studio * Study of Red Droopy Tulips 2

Study of Red Droopy Tulips 2, 8x8, Oil on Canvas, sold

For a moment I started to believe I should never purchase flowers on a Friday.  Especially if it is before a show.  I bought them, put them in a vase and had to wait until after the show, decompression and unpacking before I could get to the actual painting of them.

I have a mini fridge in my studio that I keep flowers in to hold them over from painting to painting but it only keeps them fresh for so long.  At some point they start to lose that fresh cut appeal.

I'm not sure that was a deficite for me.  I kind of liked the droopy, almost done look I got from these.  So much that I did another, larger gallery piece.  So that moment of early purchase regret passed and I learned something really important about myself.  There is real character in imperfect arrangements.  Droopy blooms.  Shortened stems.  Whatever.

Sure, the bold, symmetrical, happy bouquets are beautiful and have their place in artwork but it all depends on what statement you, as an artist, are trying to make.

Twiggs Studio * Study of Poinsettia and Christmas Balls Oil Painting

Study of Poinsettia and Christmas Balls, 8x8 Oil on Canvas, Sold

I actually painted this last December but couldnt let it go at that time.  I did it as a study for a gallery piece that you can see here:  http://artist14470.fineartstudioonline.com/workszoom/2237090  but it sold quickly so I just kept the small study for the holidays.

The balls were trickier than I suspected which is rapidyly becoming a familiar theme with my artwork.  My guess is that as long as I'm branching out into new territory I will always have new challenges to face.

The very reasons painting is so captivating are the ongoing challenges and the opportunity to solve them.