"Mr Murphy's Dahlias" 20x16 oil on linen
I got a new mac! I've been spending the week trying to figure out how to use my new computer and having just a bit of 'getting used to' editing photos. (LOVE the mac by the way!) I need to get Photoshop, this picture is not great but you get the idea and I thought I'd better get it posted before I get too far behind. . . .
The story behind this painting is about to begin! My 10th grade english teacher Mr Murphy now retired and seemingly pretty happy about that, grows the most lovely dahlias. I've been seeing Mr Murphy at the local farmers market every Saturday for years, but since the flowers don't last long and I wanted to do a somewhat larger piece of the flowers I knew I'd need a full weekend planned out to do this painting. Finally last Saturday was the day! Now, to add to the story, my Grandma and aunts and I have been religiously planting and digging up our red dahlias that go all the way back to my great Grandma in South Dakota for as long as I can remember now, and I couldn't imagine not including my Great Grandma's too! As lovely and Mr Murphys are, ours are special to me for so many reasons and they seem to have a mind of their own in the funky way they like to grow. This is the reason for the 'character like' one on the left reaching out and saying hello.
Compositionally speaking I was thinking of how I could possibly make such an idea work. Not to assume that it does, feels like a bit of a risk but I like it! With all this hot red in a painting I knew I would need something to balance and cool this piece a bit, hence the blue cloth on the table. Red and blue is a nice color scheme. I think of the sweep of red traveling through the painting as a large s shape and I placed the 2 little pedals on the table to lay the surface flat and also to help carry the eye around again. Lots of red for this painter but that's what they're all about, their True Colors!
13 comments:
This is such a wonderful painting, especially with your story about the dahlias. I grow my own flowers to paint, and have many that came from bulbs or seeds that were from my grandmother or my mother's flower beds - making them all the more special to me.
What I love most about this is the natural, un-stuffy arrangement of the dahlias. It's REAL, and it's absolutely beautiful. One of the best paintings I have seen up here in the blogshere!
"I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say in any other way-things that I had no words for." Georgia O'Keefe
You've said a lot in this painting Kam... I love it.
beautiful
Vivid, with beautiful brushwork.
Wonderful painting. I look forward to following your work.
Wonderful painting. I look forward to following your work.
What a gorgeous painting and a beautiful story, Kami!
Hi Claire, I love that you too grow your own flowers to paint! Doesn't it make the process that much more meaningful? I really appreciate the comment on the arrangement being 'real' I felt the same way. It's funny how we're affraid at times to do the 'untraditional' Thanks so much and happy painting to you!
I love that quote Marc! THanks for posting it, are you sure those aren't MY words?? teasing It's lovely and speaks deeply to me
Thanks Jesus! Happy Painting!
Hi Judy, it's fun to express 'expression' with paint, that's what I love about oils, all the endless possibiliets with brush workwork! Thanks for checking in!
Thanks Hope! Two times! ;) I appreciate your checking in, hope to see you back!
Thank you Marian. I've been thinking more and more about a painting and the painter behind the painting having something to say. It's so rewarding and fulfilling to paint this way for me!
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