Open Heart

Open Heart | 48″ x 48″ | Oil Encaustic

In every store there are tulips, I have been buying fresh cut flowers and some bulbs in pots, that bloom and I later plant in the garden. They make great still life paintings!

It was just such a pleasure to paint a big canvas (48″ x 48″). The tulips have a life of their own, they seem to move even as you paint them.

A fellow painter gave me a great tip —  if you like to paint your still life set up with a spot light try using an LED bulb. They don’t give off as much heat — thus less chance of those blooms opening up on you. Another tip get moving – get dancing – sing and – jump into action. Get the guts of the painting and that movement will sing its way onto the canvas. Keeping the energy on a large canvas is the biggest challenge!

Keep and open mind open heart as to where the painting can go – don’t try to steer an idea, stay open and let it happen.