After a fabulous week in California I’m back in the woods. Right before I left I had nearly finished a painting of hollyhocks and was relieved to see that they were still blooming. Hollyhocks seem to me such an atmospheric flower, the essence of high summer, and very old-fashioned. They didn’t grow in Georgia where I grew up but a Yankee friend says she used to make dolls’ skirts out of the blooms. Painting them was tricky as they kept turning toward the sun during the morning and by late afternoon dropping some of their blossoms. So I painted as fast as I could and am pleased with the loose breezy look.
Hollyhocks 24 x 12 oil on birch panel
Hollyhocks are one of my favorite flowers.
Comment by Jill — August 22, 2007 @ 12:17 pm