Sweet and Simple

Sweet Pea Bouquet

Original Watercolou rby Jean Haines

Yesterday I continued to work on my new collection for an exhibition which uncludes horseracing scenes, landscapes, cockerels and so many favourites. I was completely engrossed in my work when a friend called around unexpectedly with  beautiful bouquet of sweet peas. I had mentioned these have always been a favourite flower of mine and I was thrilled.

Immediately after they left I intended to go back to work in my studio on a large painting which was coming along so well but the heady perfume of the sweet peas kept calling to me. I couldn't help but follow my instinct.

Using a fresh piece of paper I studied the vibrant shades of the individual  flowers. I opted for Sennelier "Tyrian Rose" as my main shade and began with a single blossom moving away to create others in the  surrounding sections. One mauve head stood out in the background of the posy which when painted created an illusion of distant petals.

While I worked I thought of the many occasions my Grandfather would pick beautiful bouquets of sweet pea  from his garden on a Sunday. I was allowed to carry the  bunches in my tiny hands and their perfume now thrills me as much as it did then. He had rows and rows of  amazing flowers in his garden all merging with each other and creating gorgeous patterns in sunlight. I was never allowed to pick them but admiring their beauty even at that early age inspired my way of working today.

How impressionable we are as  children and how incredible that memories of our past can flood into our present in so many ways.

With mine it is always connected with colour.

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