Rose

I found this week's flower at the Raleigh Rose Garden.  What a beautiful place for the senses!

As with the other flowers I've been sending to you, the Rose is part of a series of 4x4 mini paintings that are being offered to my blog, newsletter, and facebook readers for only $40.  This one has sold, but just send a note to me to find out if others are available (or maybe I can be convinced to paint one just for you!)

Here's the photo I took in the Raleigh Rose Garden.  I painted this as a 6x6 and it is framed and currently available (see Time to Smell the Roses).

For the 4x4 mini, I focused on this one amazing rose that seemed to have light emanating from within.  It truly glowed.

Here's my painted version, with fun, lively colors:

Rose, 4x4 Oil, SOLD

Iris

This week's flower is one of my personal favorites... the iris.

As with last week's amaryllis, it is part of a series of 4x4 mini paintings that are being offered to my blog, newsletter, and facebook readers for only $40.  They make perfect gifts and add cheer to any room when placed on a little easel.  Just send a note to me if you'd like to start your wilt-free bouquet!

Here's the photo I took of irises at my mailbox:

I cropped the photo to emphasize the shape of this lovely blossom:

I had so much fun with this particular flower that I painted it twice:

Iris 2, 4x4 Oil, Available for $40

Iris 1, 4x4 Oil, SOLD

Amaryllis

For the next few weeks, I am going to send you flowers because, well, you deserve it!  As a new collector recently told me, "These are nicer than a dozen roses because they never wilt!"  

These flowers are part of a series of 4x4 mini paintings that are being offered for only $40.  They make perfect gifts (for you or someone special) and can be placed on a little easel to add cheer to any room.  This offer is reserved just for you and my newsletter and facebook readers, so send a note to me if you'd like to start your wilt-free bouquet!
 
This week's flower is a brilliant red Amaryllis.  I found these in Raleigh's JC Raulston Arboretum, which is a beautiful place and definitely worth many visits.  I started with this photograph from an earlier painting (see Amaryllis at the Arboretum), but for the 4x4 mini panels I've found that it's important to focus on just one or two flowers that have an interesting silhouette.  

I chose to zoom in on this graceful Amaryllis...

... and then I made it the star of the show:

Amaryllis, 4x4 Oil, Available for $40 

Azalea Glow

Happy Easter!!  

Today's post seemed to me to be the right one for this day that celebrates new life.  The white azalea bushes in my yard haven't bloomed yet, 
but I am definitely ready to see them again! 

This photograph from a past Spring was one of dozens that I took to capture the sun shining through the translucent petals.  The purity of this white azalea, with light that almost appears to come from within, reminds me of the One who we honor as pure light on this day.

For my painting, I cropped the scene in a way that keeps the glowing azalea as the "star" of the show while moving it out of center stage.  This encourages the eye to explore and also creates some interesting shapes around the flowers.  Enjoy!

Azalea Glow, not available

12x16 Oil