GRAND LADY 13 x 16

Thoughts on GRAND LADY...

Several years ago the National Gallery in Washington D. C. had an exhibition of

19th century American artist Martin Johnson Heade's paintings

so there were several articles written about his work,

and included were many pictures of his paintings, some of which were his paintings of magnolias.

I was mesmerized by the flowers and drapery in his paintings and wanted to investigate the possibilities of

composing with these magnificent flowers.

Grande Magnolia trees do not grow in Colorado, so I

was completely unfamiliar with them....but I knew I wanted to paint the flowers!

I asked my favorite florist about them, and she said that they are too fragile to ship, so florists don't use them.

So, I could not get them!

Last summer, an artist friend had someone in Georgia very carefully wrap and ship some of them, in bud, to her.

And when she was finished with them, she was generous enough to ask me if I wanted to "play" with them!

It was truly Christmas in July!!!

This painting is my tribute to Martin Johnson Heade's magnolia paintings.