Peach Blossoms

 

Peach Blossoms  oil 12x9 inches

Purchase info here. 

In February our peach tree was doing this.  This is one of the few times I painted what was really in the backgound behind my still life; my studio sink!  For you painters out there, you might be interested in the fact that I painted this with no solvent.  In an effort to be kind to my airways,  I used only Safflower oil from the grocery store to clean my brushes throughout.  I wondered if it would ever dry!  Eventually it did, and wtih  the most luscious sheen.  Since then I've employed a couple of other methods instead to keep the air cleaner in my studio: my trash bucket is a few steps away from me rather than right under me, and after I'm done for the day, I put my trash outside to oxidize rather than in my studio.  

Bloomin'

oil 8x8 inches For a closer look and purchase info click here. Another botanical painting from UCR's garden. Cactus blooms are always fascinating to me.

Magnolia Blossoms III -sold

oil on canvas panel 8x8 inches
SOLD
Well this is the last and my favorite of the magnolia blossom paintings. The mauve surface gave it the look I was after. For the most part I was able to put down a stroke and leave it. For that reason alone it really pays off to paint the same object over and over...especially for us "noodlers". I have to admit, I was relieved when they started shriveling up...I was ready to move on to something else!

Magnolia Blossom II -sold

oil on canvas panel 8x8 inches
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Though it takes me a while to paint these blossoms, I've arrived at a process that works. I start from the center and work outward painting each petal one at a time. This allows me to overlap my strokes where I need soft transitions. Then painting the next petal behind, I can cut into and shape the edge of the previous petal. With mostly alizarin and some cad red light I've been able to approximate the pinks, but at the end I added some quinacrodone magenta, which I don't normally use.

Magnolia Blossom

oil on canvas panel 6x6 inches
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The Chinese Magnolia trees are in full bloom and they are spectacular! For a long time I've wanted to paint some of these blossoms. A friend with a tree gave me permission to snip some branches. Thanks, Otha! Sorry for the glare in the photo, but this shot has the closest color match. Painting the large blossom felt similar to doing roses. I wiped it out and my second try worked out better. I'm going to keep practicing as long as my subject holds up!