Portfolio | Petal Pushers

Wendy Higgins

High Desert Gold, oil, 34 x 29.

“When the monsoon rains finally came to the high desert in early August, our world lay waiting, dormant, gray, and crispy. As if in celebration, the wildflowers sprang up in a show like I had never seen before. HIGH DESERT GOLD was my response to the beauty of that extraordinary fall. I had only to walk out my door and clip armfuls of flowers for this still life. I paint what captures my heart. It can be the simplest object and the way the light falls on it, something that catches my eye on a morning walk, fruit in the market, or a pot on a friend’s shelf; but always it’s about the light.”

representation
Greenberg Fine Art, Santa Fe, NM; www.wendyhigginsfineart.com.

 

Terrie Lombardi

Her Petals Like Ruffles, pastel, 16 x 20.

“The inspiration for HER PETALS LIKE RUFFLES comes from a time when I broke both my wrists in 2011. After months of rehabilitation, I found inspiration, boldness, and strength that I had never experienced before. Embracing the flower has become my passion. I love the beauty that a flower possesses and the fact that it is constantly changing—living and dying. To me the flower is also a reminder of the gift of nature all around us and how fragile and delicate nature and flowers are. I always want to give the subject dignity and beauty.”

representation
Abend Gallery, Denver, CO; Evergreen Fine Art, Evergreen, CO; www.terrielombardi.com.

 

Christy Kinard

La Rose Blanche, mixed media, 48 x 48.

“LA ROSE BLANCHE, or the white rose, is a vision I have of a rose bouquet in Provence, France. The palette of blues, whites, and browns and layers of fabric, paper, and paint create the feeling of the rustic blue doors and shutters you see on the charming gîtes (holiday homes) of Provence. I chose white roses because they are simple, elegant, and soft.

“The painting takes me to an old wooden farm table with bread, cheese, wine, and a magnificent rose arrangement adorning the center. I stare out the open window and take in all the shimmering shades 
of blues and greens and smell the fragrant aromas of the white rose garden. LA ROSE BLANCHE is this calming, fresh energy of Provence that creates my visual song.”

representation
Pryor Fine Art, Atlanta, GA; Shain Gallery, Charlotte, NC; Jules Place, Boston, MA; www.christykinard.com.

 

Stephanie Neely

Cathedral, oil pastel, 48 x 48.

“Flowers in the darkness—I view this as a metaphor for a religious experience that is concerned with hope in the midst of despair. Sister Corita Kent once noted that ‘flowers grow out of dark moments.’ My purpose in creating the painting CATHEDRAL was to embody that sentiment—the mystery of faith that makes all things new and holy. Ironically, it was the master of mystery, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who once wrote, ‘Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are all really necessary for our existence in the first instance…. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.’”

representation
Elder Art Gallery, Charlotte, NC; www.stephanieneely.com.

 

Angus Wilson

Daffodils on Flower Patterned Tablecloth, acrylic, 34 x 34.

“This painting was part of a series I created last spring, just as daffodils were appearing in people’s gardens. To me, these flowers represent the beginnings of spring, and I wanted to capture that spirit within the painting. I enjoy taking traditional still-life subjects like this and focusing on their simplicity with classic arrangements and compositions. I then evolve and challenge those conventions and traditions, reinventing the subject to create something dramatic and passionate. I attempt to paint with power and conviction, using strong color and powerful composition to create reactions within the painting. A painting should make a statement, whatever the subject, and I believe a still-life painting can have all the power and presence of the strongest landscape or portrait!”

representation
New Masters Gallery, Carmel, CA; Chloe Fine Arts, San Francisco, CA; Paul Scott Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ; Chasen Galleries, Richmond, VA; Warm Springs Gallery, Warm Springs and Charlottesville, VA; www.anguspaintings.com.

 

Kathy Anderson

Orange Begonias With Snapdragons, oil, 12 x 10.

“This piece started as a demonstration I did at Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art in San Antonio, TX. I’m usually well-prepared with what I’m going to use for a demo subject. I had called the local florist in advance, but, when I arrived, it took me quite a while to get excited about what to choose. I kept coming back to the begonias and especially the orange ones. I had picked up the snapdragons at another nursery, and I loved the color contrasts. Whenever something speaks to me, try as I may to look for other alternatives, I am powerless to change. I’ve found that when I listen to that voice, it’s always the best painting.”

representation
Greenhouse Gallery of Fine Art, San Antonio, TX; Legacy Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ, and Jackson, WY; Susan Powell Fine Art, 
Madison, CT; Chrysalis Gallery, Southampton, NY; Tree’s Place, Orleans, MA; www.kathyandersonstudio.com.

 

Kathy Cooper

Red and Blue Arrangement, oil, 12 x 12.

“I have quite a collection of antique dishes in my studio, and I go through them looking for what inspires me. I’m drawn to different textures, including anything that is gold and shiny that I can set against the softness of flowers. I used to just do still lifes with antique objects, but, about 14 years ago, I added flowers. I started pulling flowers from my garden—roses, lilies, lilacs, peonies, and hydrangeas. They are the life of the still-life painting. They have vibrant colors and even move when you are painting them. And they die, so you have to paint quickly.”

representation
Saks Galleries, Denver, CO.

Featured in May 2012.