A P(e)ony Parade

I have always painted flowers, but never really got hold of peonies. Yet, if there is a request for a painting, you find out what they look like exactly! The request to paint peonies for a bridal tea, was only the start. It led to many peony paintings and I am probably addicted to the subject now.

 

I produced a few in 2016, then attended Nancy Medina's course where I took lots of photographs for reference. Now I have ordered silk peonies from the Seychelles. They looked flattened and somewhat sad when they arrived, but as they stand in their vase, I notice that they look more beautiful each day as they relax and open.

 

Peonies featured in a two-women exhibition two weeks ago and is also on travelling show with the West Coast Art Fair after a Juried show, where the work was chosen to be exhibited.

 

Here, then, is the peony parade of paintings available and sold.



Peonies
500 mm x 400mm
This painting is currently on exhibition.
Let me know if you are interested or want to order a similar painting

Peaches 'n Cream Peonies
500mm x 400mm

Classic Peony
200mm x 200mm
SOLD

"Snow White" is my favourite
200mm x 200mm
Framed and available at R1500

This little set of white peonies were SOLD
180mm x 180mm
 

Close-up of the above set of two
180 x 180

Close-up of the set of two.
180mm x 180mm

The "peonies for a bridal tea" which started my interest in peonies

Three Violet Peonies
18Omm x 180mm
Framed and available at R960

The last three, in frames, all of them, are available at R860 each

I have more! So there will be a second post on my peonies a while from now.


 
 

Painting in Texas with Nancy Medina

I entered the hotel breakfast room, and there she was, petite, sweet Nancy Medina! For seven years I have hoped to meet her in person one day and to paint with her. The visit was made possible by my very kind children, who lives in Katy, Texas. Of course we had a lovely meeting and then went off to the course venue, the quaint New Braunfells Art Society building.

 

From the moment Nancy steps in front of a class, her professionalism shines through. Everything around her is pristine and organised. She speaks clearly, gently repeating terms as she goes into her presentation. We get used to her special terms and way of expression. I can start painting now, and I still hear her voice: "Make it darker, make it darker!"

 

The first thing you learn is to divide the palette into transparent and opaque colours. Watching Nancy work, you gain respect for those background layers, the colours which will eventually shine through everything, bringing light and depth into a painting. What follows is an album of our painting workshop.

 

Blogger friends, social media friends and now meeting up in real life

All surfaces (and the floor) was filled with fresh flowers and lovely displays

This is the palette that Nancy starts out  with every morning.
 Look at the delightful opaques on the right which she pre-mixes!
They are used at the closing stages of the painting.

A display of  Nancy Medina DVD's for sale

Out of a blurry background of transparent colour, the daisies are born

Wonderful things happening before our eyes!

So appealing!

Nancy arranging flowers under the spotlight.

In a surprisingly short time, a completed masterpiece by Nancy Medina!

OK, Girl, it's your turn now!!!


NEXT TIME: PAINTING IN TEXAS (it sounds like: Walking in Memphis!)

And to end with: Here is a live-stream lesson with Nancy Medina that you can watch just now!

 

Painting Poppies

Aren't they the most uplifting of flowers? In our warm country the vase life of poppies is not very long, but what joy they give, pushed into a jug or tumbler, as informal as possible. Where poppies are, there will be colour! 

We often had them as painting subjects in my watercolour courses. Once again, like with most flowers, I made sure that my students held a poppy in their spare hand while making the initial drawing. That is the only way one can discover the beautiful intricate folds of the petals, the splendid capsule form in the centre with stamen like the rays of the sun, and the grey-green stems.

Freshly picked poppies in various stages of popping open.
Photo: Marie Theron  ‪ ‪#‎artmatters‬

This design of "poppies blowing in the wind" appeared as a card in book stores during the 1990's

©Marie Theron 1991  ‪#‎artmatters‬

This is probably my oldest painting of poppies
©Marie Theron 1991  ‪#‎artmatters‬

Aquarelle pencils are such nice tools for getting the detail of poppies.
I enhanced the drawing with white designer's gouache.
©Marie Theron 1991  ‪#‎artmatters‬

A large watercolour 1993
©Marie Theron 1993  ‪#‎artmatters‬

Another large watercolour  1993
©Marie Theron 1993  ‪#‎artmatters‬

Noticing my poppies in watercolour, a friend gave me a commission to make an acrylic painting. It was a hit, and I stepped away from watercolours! I started the new era of 2000 as a painter and no longer as an art lecturer. I still love teaching, so please feel free to ask tips on anything. 

The painting that started my career in oils and acrylic painting  ‪#‎artmatters‬.

My Facebook Page is for you to ask any art-related question. Visit my FACEBOOK PAGE 

An apology: All the poppy paintings on my page has been sold. However, you may want to consider some lovely prints, available HERE, ON THE BLOG OF CAROL NELSON

Later this year I will attend a workshop with Nancy Medina in Texas. HAVE A LOOK AT THE VIBRANT POPPY PAINTING ON HER BLOG or THIS LOVELY SET BY NANCY