After a friend from Texas visited us last year she sent us a wonderful house gift–lots of Asiatic Lily bulbs. Now they’re in full bloom and absolutely gorgeous. When I was out selecting blooms to paint, a hummingbird was going from lily to lily, perching on the lower petal while he drank. They’re so territorial, it wasn’t long before a couple of other hummingbirds showed up and chased him away.
Orange Lilies, Blue Bottle 11-3/4 x 11-3/4 oil on birch panel
Years ago someone in an art class told me that “Shadows are your friends.” I do like shadows as a compositional element but it’s hard to remember that they’re always much lighter than I think they are at first. The lilies unfolded more and more as I painted and by the time I finished a couple of days later the bud had completely opened!
