First Gardenia 2013

10" x 8"

oil on canvas

purchase

Well, lately I have been having quite a "painters block". Not really wanting to paint and kind of sad about it. This has happened before and it's actually a good thing even through it doesn't feel like it. I believe when this happens my brain is sorting everything out I've learned to move to a new level which I'm quite excited about. I always feel a lot of fear in these times because I feel like I've "lost it" and it won't come back, but it always does which is a nice surprise.

I try to paint a gardenia every year when they bloom. They remind me of my grandmother. She introduced me to coffee and custard. She took me to church and liked to watch Billy Graham crusades really loud on her tiny TV. She liked to read the paper to me and would keep me up with her snoring. She wore red Estee Lauder lipstick and rhinestone glasses. She was stubborn and tough and I loved her very much. 

First Gardenias

"First Gardenias"

purchase

These gardenias are from a few months ago - I picked a few and snapped a photo with the hope of painting them while they were blooming. I like to get a least one painting a year of these memory inducing floras since they are my favorite and we have about 10 gigantic bushes in the backyard just backing up to my studio and when they are in bloom, I don't have to tell you -  it is heavenly. 

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was working on something big - well it's a definite and I feel it is safe to announce since it is in the works. Me and Guy will be opening a small gallery in Wilmington in the next month. It's called Sun Gallery and it will have paintings, photography and jewelry (and maybe some other stuff). I'm so excited and when we get close we will have a grand opening show. Of course I will announce it on here. 

First Gardenia

"First Gardenia"
13.5" x 11"
oil on gesso panel
View in Etsy

In my garden, I have about six large gardenia bushes and every year they burst with fragrant flowers and childhood memories of my grandmother. I try to paint at least one every year and this is the first of the year.