Orchids in Bloom

Orchids in Bloom, oils on canvas panel, 10" x 8," $90 unframed.

With our temperatures in the twenties and a wind chill factor making it feel more like single-digits, it was not a day to paint outdoors. I wanted to paint from life, so I brought one of my orchids up to the studio, along with a fern for greenery.

My sister Bea gave me this variety of Phalaenopsis a few years back and it has bloomed faithfully every year, usually twice a year. I like the unusual greenish-pink colors of the blossoms and their intricate shapes, with the deep rusty- magenta lip where a pollinating insect would land, but they are challenging to paint. I chose a very light backdrop for this painting, but wonder if the val-hues of the orchids have enough contrast with the background to stand out. Perhaps the orchid's colors would have more punch if I'd used a dark background instead?

I'll have to try another version of this later on. This particular spike of flowers opened the week before Christmas and will probably last a few months, giving me plenty of time to work with them again. I wonder if any of my other orchids will bloom before spring.