Heaven Is a Rose

 "Heaven is a Rose"

On my Easel this morning

A surprise email this morning let me know that I will be filming for my new project this week on Thursday. This news created great excitement for me. I had a meeting with my publisher at my cottage last week to go over a few ideas and I mentioned I could be ready "to go" this week. So it is now all systems go as I compile a collection of paintings which will be going in a thrilling special edition. Further information will follow later this year but for now I am thrilled.

The sun shone so brightly this morning that regardless of my work load I just had to paint roses. I am a firm believer in following your heart when painting and mine is set on capturing soft pink roses in sunlight. There is a story behind these rose paintings, isn't  there always!

In our first home, when we were newly weds, I knew very little about gardening but outside the kitchen window there were highly scented pink roses which I adored. I constantly picked endless bouquets to decorate our home and to give away as gifts to friends. The more I picked the more seemed to grow in the removed flowers' places. I have found that similar in life. The more you give away the more comes back to you. I give my tips and techniques away where ever I go and I find artists from all over the world are eager to share their favourite colours or subjects with me too. And, it seems the nicer you are to people the nicer they are back to you too. Its' an endless happy circle.

Where ever we have lived, from Dubai to Hong Kong I have always tried to have roses in my garden but I had made my mind up that the day we settled down I would have pink rose growing outside my kitchen window. And we have finally settled down. And I have done just that. Each year I set up my easel and happily paint the fabulous delicate roses , for hours on end.

Today I am leaping ahead to Summer and painting my favourite subjects yet again. These are one of the most favourite and most asked for of my watercolour demonstrations. Usually I have more than one artist asking if they can buy what I have just painted because the way the roses appear as if by magic always carries such a special memory to myself and those on my workshops.

There is a breath of freshness about this piece above, as it develops. A softness that seems heaven sent. 

Maybe its title should be " Heaven Scent" because to me heaven is a rose in bloom.

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