To make room for the recently painted larger canvases, I have been cleaning the studio. When I came across some old photos of flowers, they brought back memories of the all the warm summer evenings I enjoyed working in my perennial garden in Spokane, Washington, before moving to Florida several years ago.
Here in Florida, gardening is very different. There's no dirt in my yard, just sand! And the grass does not grow up but across like a vine, which makes raking impossible. I am adjusting, planting the exotic flowers like plate sized hibiscus and thorny bouganvilleas, which are actually native to South America. But, it is just not as much fun as digging in dark, rich loam.
My northern garden had eight different tulip varieties, including black tulips that were a delight to see when they appeared each year. My favorite tulips were the ruffled, which are also called "parrot tulips." The petals of these flowers are often so swirling and twisted, so etched with daring combinations of colors, that it is difficult to recognize them as tulips at all.
This is my rendition of some white parrot tulips from my Spokane garden. I tried to capture their spring dance, as well as the joy they gave me.
