Summer’s Geranium
8” X 10”
Watercolor
I have to confess, I’m a geranium thief. I love them and I can’t help myself. There’s something about the fragrance, the delicate flowers, and amazing variety of colors. It’s not what you think…I don’t slip pots into my pocket at the nursery or pull plants out of window boxes in front of stores. However, if I see a pretty geranium and the opportunity presents itself, I’ll pinch off a little piece, put it into water, and will it to grow.
I pinched this one over the summer in one of the rare times we ate at a restaurant, out on the patio. Ringed with containers over-stuffed with flowers, this white geranium caught my eye. Actually, several geraniums caught my eye, but I only had a moment to snag a small piece as we left. And I mean a SMALL piece: two quarter-sized leaves and about an inch of stem. I didn’t have much hope for its success, but it surprised me after one of the leaves died, a new one sprouted, and it started putting on roots like crazy. I planted it about a month later and by November, it was 10 times its original size and starting to bloom.
So I took it down to the studio and did this painting. White flowers are challenging to paint because they are not truly white. I had to break the art rules and use a little white gouache (opaque watercolor) to give it a little punch. Please don’t tell the transparent watercolor art police.
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P.S. All my paintings are for sale, by the way. I didn’t have a studio show this year because of Covid considerations, so the art is piling up in the studio. If one of my paintings is calling your name, reach out and let’s talk.
