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| Irises in my Garden, oils on canvas, 12" x 9." |
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| Irises by the Fence, oils on canvas panel, 9" x 12." |
This week the bearded irises in my garden are blooming--for years I've been promising myself to paint them from life, but their season of glory is so brief, it was only this year I finally managed to get around to it. I've been going out early in the morning to capture the blossoms at their freshest. An added bonus is being surrounded by the wonderful perfume they exude.
The iris with lilac petals and deep purple falls is an older, very fragrant variety that my mother grew in her garden and gave me years ago--I brought it here from my garden in Sandy Spring. The blossoms of the deep maroon variety that was here when we bought the house are showier, but not as fragrant. They are both lovely, though.
I prefer the second painting: I think the effect of the sunlight filtering through the trees catching just a few blossoms works better than in the first painting. My blossoms in the first painting are too evenly spaced--I should have thought more about placement and composition. I had a wonderful time painting them both, though. I hope the blossoms will last long enough to try for at least one more painting.
I'm tempted to plant a third variety of iris for next year--what color should I choose: yellow, pink, or a blue and white bi-color? There are so many beautiful varieties to choose from!
