A whole new art collection is forming in my studio, and it is absolutely beautiful already! I unofficially refer to these paintings as my "romantic botanicals," since I'm using my own house plants as references for each painting.
I create these plant art pieces on raw canvas in mixed media, beginning with charcoal pencil line drawings and sometimes wax pencil.
Drawing from life is something I wanted to do more of, so this process is truly fulfilling! I have always loved drawing leaves, and the trailing motion in the plants I'm working with make the process nearly meditative.
Next, I coat the canvas with clear gesso (rather than the usual white) so that I can get the base I need without covering up the warm tone of the canvas.
Once this layer dries, I mix up a palette of soft, romantic colors in acrylic paints. I paint thin washes of color and thicker, loose brush strokes in my favorite greens, blues, blushy pinks, peaches, and creams. Finally, I add in more charcoal intuitively to bring the plant and leaves to life.
I framed the first three plant paintings in natural wood embroidery hoops, and I really love how the round shape finishes these pieces! I may continue to frame the next plant paintings this way, though I do also want to try a few square pieces, as well.
This art series is the first in a long while to pull me in, where I jump from one piece right into the next. The semi-abstract painting style feels very freeing! You can watch short videos of the process on my YouTube channel here and here.
I hope the softness and organic nature of these plant paintings bring you peace and relaxation. I am excited to be able to release this new collection soon!
I would love to hear your thoughts on this new art collection so far! As I get ready to add these paintings to the shop, I want to know:
Would you rather get early access via e-mail immediately to each art piece as soon as it is ready OR wait to see all the paintings in this art collection together after the entire series is ready?
Let me know in the comments!
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