Mexican Hibiscus

Just finished another watercolour. This is an image from a photograph I took while vacationing last winter in Mazatlan with Jeff and my sister in law.

While walking downtown, with all the noisy street vendors and time share people hounding you at every step and the diesel buses flying by kicking up dust and smoke ... out of all that chaos this beautiful delicate flower decided to grow.

I was attracted by the contrast between the soft petals of the flower against the rough brick and mortar wall. This beautiful specimen decided to grow on its own and say "Hola Amigo."

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan

Understated Elegance

And now back to watercolour ...

I know some of your LOVE my watercolours. I also love creating them. There is something so gentle about working with watercolour paint. There is a rhythm that happens when I work with watercolour, that I don't experience when working with acrylic.

Everything is much more planned, unlike acrylic. This give painting such a piece a very meditative feeling as you simply colour in the different elements, one by one.

This should actually be called a mixed medium as I used black acrylic to get the rich background.

"Understated Elegance", 21 x 13"

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan

I've Gone Poppy Crazy

Each fall I collect poppy seeds from my gardens, then in the spring I have fun scattering them around - waiting to see what comes forth, taking many photos to be used when the mood moves me.

Since working on that poppy commission earlier this year, I have gone totally poppy crazy. I just can't get enough of painting poppies.

I love putting the acrylic paint on really thick - impasto like - moving it around layer upon layer and letting some of the brush strokes show through. I often take it straight out of the tube as I build up the painting. Rich with texture and wild with paint!

Here are a couple of more recent acrylic paintings.

"Poppy Explosion", 11 x 14"

"Poppy Dance", 11 x 14"

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan

About Commissions

What a busy summer with many visitors, art shows to attend and paintings to deliver.

This summer we delivered a commission to a patron out in Saskatchewan, one that was ordered a year ago! After having several of my paintings in her home already, a client of mine mentioned that she now needed something for over her bed. Measuring the space available, I put it on the back shelf until I was ready. Early this spring, I got an idea to paint a triptych of poppies.

I ordered 3 - 12 x 24" canvases and away I went. On a background of burnt sienna, I started by organizing the poppy groupings; the sizes, the flower directions and which would continue onto the next canvas. I did this by making cutouts of the poppies and moving them around the canvas until I had the desired spacing.

Next I had fun. I wanted the finished piece to be rich and juicy with colour and texture.

The finished piece accomplished all that. Needless to say the client LOVED it - so much so that she now talks about ordering two more!!

If you would like to commission a piece of artwork for your home or office, please visit my website.

"The Power of Poppies" acrylic on canvas

Till Next Time ...

From the Prairies, to the West Coast and Beyond...

Susan