The three paintings on this page were inspired by these Stargazer Lilies in Woven Basket. After setting down an initial statement, I looked away from the source of my truth and let the painting talk to me and express its will.
Woven Basket with Stargazer Lillies No. 1 was born.
Woven Basket with Stargazers No. 1
16" x 24", acrylic on watercolor paper
Woven Basket with Stargazers No. 2
16" x 24", acrylic on watercolor paper
After enjoying the first conclusion I decided to create a series using the woven basket filled with Stargazers once again. This time I created an image closer to reality and then introduced colors and shapes, making adjustments until my eyes were satisfied and the structure was solid.
Woven Basket with Stargazers No. 3
16" x 24", acrylic on watercolor paper
This time I challenged my playful brush to dip into completely different paint colors, watching where my initial choices of color and color relationships would lead me.
As you can see, it was a wild ride.
The basket became a problem; I needed to let go of the reality of the basket. While looking at the painting with an objective eye I was able to see what was needed in the lower half to support the top portion of the painting.
It was now obvious to me that the bottom portion of the painting needed to be squared. With that “shock of recognition” I could feel I had found the path to a solid conclusion guided by design and solid structure.