Nasturtiums - the designer flower and the joys of Redbubble

These nasturtiums were growing in my herb garden last summer. They are “designer flowers” I always think, their shape is so strong and graphic, the leaves and tendril-like stalks as well as the flowers. Their colours are so gorgeous. They were often used in art nouveau designs.
I am drawn to them and embark on a painting but then remember that they are quite difficult flowers to capture! But I can’t resist the way their pale green stalks and leaves overlap and run in and out of each other making lovely crevices of darkness to contrast with the oranges and yellows.

I love these flowers with their flowing shapes and tendrils and flat disc like leaves and the oranges and yellows against the bluey green of the foliage. Not totally easy with my painting but there is enough about it that is pleasing for me to be able to allow it to be aired.

I've had a down time painting wise...not been inspired. But these set me off and while painting them, I had a feeling of having gone up a level in my understanding of the how the colours and tones work. It is amazing how you go on and on and on learning, absorbing information in your every day life, assimilating new ideas that you come up against if you're obsessed as I am with looking at images and art. Redbubble plays a huge part here...it is images a go go and so many different media and styles to look at. Also I have dialogues with the artists by email, some of whom are searching and searching and asking and asking and open to all sorts of creative stimuli.

For instance Barbara, who is a stunningly talented artist/designer already, but who is intent on trying out new things and wants to master traditional watercolour. We are swapping ideas and having great fun. It goes without saying that this is an International phenomenon, and art communication is taking place worldwide, instantaneously. To someone of my age, this is amazing. Given that we didn't get our first land line until I was a teenager and of course mobiles were unheard of and the internet wasn't even a twinkle in Bill Gates's eye.

But I digress!

There is an iris drawing waiting for me in the studio...yes, I'm back there again with the irises!