Peonies in a Silver Vase

I find peonies to be great fun to paint, but you have to do a lot of squinting to avoid overworking them.  Painted last spring -I'm eager to paint them again (I love the way the studio smells when I'm painting peonies!)   On my ETSY store

Three Pink Peonies SOLD

Another one from last spring.  You have to squint a lot to paint so many petals.  I usually put in too much detail and wind up rubbing it out in the last two minutes of the painting.  On my ETSY store.

Two Pink Peonies Glass Vase

Another painting of peonies, painted a few weeks ago when the peonies were available.  I like the softness of these lush blooms.  You have to do a lot of squinting to simplify the values so that each flower looks 3-dimensional.  And then you get to go back and smush things a bit to make it soft enough. On my ETSY store

Peonies and Silver Vase

Spring peonies are here for just a few weeks.  I managed to paint a couple of pictures of them before  the show was over.  I love the lushness, the color and most of all the fragrance.  This one is in my current show at the Vashon Center For the Arts as part of the Summer Arts Fest.  The show is up through July 23rd.  19600 Vashon Hwy SW.  Open every day during July & August.   

Peonies and Pewter Pot SOLD

The last of the peony paintings for this year.   They are lush and fragrant and surprisingly durable;  hence the many paintings. I like the softness of the sheen on the pot and the warm shadows on the peonies.  On my ETSY store.

Two Peonies on the Table

Another painting of peonies while the flowers last.  I like how very lush and full the petals are - layers and layers of pink petals all with the sweetest fragrance.  Painted from a still life I set up in my studio.

Two Peonies One Open

 A 6 x 8 original oil still life painting of two pink peonies lying on the tabletop. One is just opening, and one is completely open. The peonies are fragrant and lush, and remarkably sturdy. I like the way the light touches the flowers - I used a cardboard shield to control the shadows and throw the background into shadow. The shadows give a nice sense of volume.   On my ETSY store

Peony and Bud on the Table

I filled the table with leaves and shadows, but left the peonies in light. There's a silver pot in the background shadows.   On my ETSY store