‘Between The Blooms’

Gosh, how I’ve absolutely adored working on this collection!

It’s been 7 weeks since I took the leap to begin a new body of work that I’d been pondering on for a short while. After painting mostly with gouache for the past few years I wanted to start playing with acrylics again to create some original pieces. Spring had sprung and an idea started to form in my mind whilst out for walks on our rural lanes with my youngest.

I contemplated how much joy it brought me to witness the hedgerows and garden blooming with new life and colour and reflected on how I’m most at peace here. This inspired the imagery of a woman surrounded by flowers and looking very much at peace, which then led to the idea of a collection of pieces that would portray women from different angles, immersed in nature and embodying emotion that nature itself brings through it’s reasurring, unhurried rhythms and simple beauty:

Contentment;
Tranquility;
Reflectiveness;
Delight;
Serenity.

It’s been a journey in itself as I’ve poured my all into each painting. With each new creation my confidence has grown as I’ve re-discovered techniques and realised my ability for painting realistically. I hadn’t anticipated how much enjoyment I’d get from painting women’s hair and playing with warm, radiant light. The fifth woman reflects this the most as if she is stepping out into the light, which felt an apt symbol for the birth of the collection out into the world!

I hope these paintings will speak to you of peacefulness, everyday pleasures and the appreciation of a beautiful, restorative natural world.

As a wise ‘Man’ once said:

“Look at the wildflowers, see how they grow.”
Luke 12:27