Yesterday afternoon I sat quietly in my garden and began to study the beautiful mass of Iris that are coming into bloom. Banks of these gorgeous flowers create clouds of purple in huge drifts along one main flower bed. These are the smaller variety that sit on top of long thin stems with their heads gently swaying in the breeze as if they are dancing. They remind me of Monets garden in Giverny.
Painting any subject on location in natural light is always a sheer joy but when sunshine hits your shoulders as you work and plays tricks on almost transparent petals life for an artist cannot be any better! Quite often I absorb the feel of a subject when I make my first tentative brushstrokes. These are the first Iris I have painted this year and as always I am thrilled to be capturing them in watercolour again. This morning I placed a mount around one study to give me an idea of where I am aiming with a finished collection of Summer flowers which are eagerly awaited in a gallery. The collection will consist of all of my favourite flowers.
Iris appearing from gentle brushstrokes.
Careful placement of each flower in the composition allows me space to add hints of their soft stems.
Today the sun is shining and the light is perfect for painting outside again and as a friend is arriving this morning we will be painting flowers together all day.
What bliss!
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