Sandra C. Swenson, "Summer Flowers"


We haven't looked at a still life in a long time so when Sandra sent me a series of paintings to use, I selected this one. Isn't it beautiful! 

    Sandra is one of those people who you know young, send many years apart and reconnect later in life.  She had a great career as a junior high art teacher and since has taken many painting classes perfecting her craft.     

     I like this work for many reasons.  One is the background. Without a division line she has created space and light.  We don't know what is in the rear, for she insists we focus on the flowers and vase.  Pay attention to the transition of color in the foreground.  We can tell immediately light is coming from the upper left.  Notice the beautiful transition from white/pink to soft blues.  Skillfully done! 

   As I have written before knowing when to stop is often a difficult dilemna.  Here Sandra has done a perfect job with the flowers.  They have a soft, quick quality allowing us to identify them, but no definite detail, it is just as the eye should see them.

 Sandra says:   "I think I painted this in 2017 and I did it from life with a light source from the left I believe and this original is with my new daughter-in-law in San Diego. I love doing flowers and the hardest part is not painting every little pedal but figuring out what to emphasize a word to allow to recede. "

 

Comments

  1. Charlotte HarguthJuly 12, 2022 at 7:39 AM

    I, too, like the simplicity and the loose strokes defining the flowers; also, the treatment of the water level in the vase!! The repeated colors of lemon and salmon make the bouquet balanced and attractive. It appears so fresh, you can almost smell it. Beautiful painting and anchored with the nice dark shadow. Such a skillful and pleasant presentation.

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