Iceland Poppies

6"x4" oil on raymar panel. • The frequency with which I paint flowers can be summed up by the old behest, "Smoke if you got 'em!"  I paint flowers when I got 'em (a.k.a. When The Spousal Unit cuts them and places them in front of me with the unspoken command, that a man who wishes to remain married and in cookies, pays heed to). Our backyard is currently an explosion of these red poppies and thus, The Royal Command was given.  •  Painting these beauties is the floral equivalent of trying to paint melting ice cubes. You have to go after them with an aggressive brush, committing to your original knock-in by not following them as they immediately start drooping to kiss the table. I feel guilty torturing these poor flowers. Okay, I'm over it. They were sacrificed to the painting gods and there are still a gazillion in the garden causing mass drunkenness and lewd behavior in our local bee population.
Posted April 26, 2013
sold • private collection bradbury, ca