"Hollyhocks", oil on panel, 11" x 14"

Sometimes, things don’t all fall into place the way we’d like them to. That’s what happened when I was working on the painting “Mount Monadnock Dressed in Lupines”. I really liked the well manicured garden contrasting the wild lupines and rugged mountain. It’s a favorite theme with me, juxtaposing elements for more effect. The problem was that the hollyhocks in the foreground weren’t in bloom yet. So, I grew them some and added a few blossoms. Wanting to get it right, I looked online for a picture of hollyhocks so I could get them right. I printed a couple out and added them to the painting.

The hollyhock photo kept starring at me even after I’d finished the lupines painting. I was all ready to start a new painting when I gave in. I had to do a painting of just the hollyhocks. I didn’t copy the photo exactly, even though there’s no such thing as copyright on a hollyhock, but it was a really nice photo, except for the stuff in the background.

I wonder if gardeners noticed that it was unlikely that the hollyhock and lupines would be blooming at the same time? Right now my peonies are blooming in my garden. Now they are starting to call to me. They always seem to bloom around the 4th of July when I have other plans. This year I’ll be participating in “Art on the Green” in Amherst, N.H. from 9:00 – 1:00. Maybe I should bring them with me and paint during the show.