Color Inspiration

When I paint, the movements are definitely dictated by the music I am listening to. You might ask, “Where does your color inspiration come from?” Many of the colors I choose are inspired by my garden! After settling in to my home and fixing up the inside of my living space, I became a gardener, and over the past 10 years I have had the opportunity to grow a lot of herbs, vegetables, fruits and flowers. As the seasons meld into each other, the colors in the garden are constantly changing. This work was painted in August when everything had begun to wilt and decompose. It was so hot!!! The only veggies that typically grow in Florida during the heat of the summer are okra and eggplant. The huge okra leaves turn a wonderful sage green with a myriad of yellows running along the veins of each leaf. Most would think of death, dying and unpleasantness but I see the fabulous colors! I literally collected plants from the garden with the colors I wanted for this painting. I brought them into my studio and analyzed them. Then I recreated the hues and tones on my palette. The next step was reinterpreting them on the canvas to bring you “Autumn” (36x24 inches). This work was created while listening to The Four Seasons/Summer by Vivaldi. There is extraordinary beauty in the garden even when it is decomposing. In my mind, it is a analogy of the cycle experienced by all living things!