I am readying my exhibition plans for upcoming shows in early March, namely the Galanthus Gala and the Lehigh Valley Flower Show. While designing my table and plant displays, I am not only conscious of the flowers themselves, but also against what background they will be displayed. 
In the photo above, I chose one of my copper panels on which I paint as the background. The one on left is primed and toned a French clay green, allowing for a silhouette against the lighter background yet emphasizing the light flower color. The one on right is the reverse side of the bare copper panel, allowing for the reflection of the light flower, emphasizing a feeling of the wiry plant stems.
The coiled stems on the pollinated cyclamen flowers which have shed their petals,  wind themselves down to the base of the plant readying the seeds, when mature,  to be released and carried off by ants who enjoy their sugary coating, while depositing them in a new location. 
​Either one of these are quite nice and the lighting at the location will dictate which will be decided on location.

        'America' is an herbaceous peony hybrid with large, single red flowers of intense color with a golden yellow center.  It's a real eye-catcher, especially against the dark green complimentary color of the hedge.    Having good clean foliage,  it remains upright.      Besides  being  a  vigorous  grower,    P.  'America'  reliably   blooms  for Memorial Day,  another reason for the name besides the flower size and color.  

                  Pictured growing here on the north side of an Arborvitae hedge.
                               American Peony Society Gold Medal winner 1992

Slippery Slope Chinese Roof Iris has large, 4 inch flowers with distinct markings, presenting usually three sequential blooms on the same spike.  It has fans of gracefully falling light green foliage, adding a fountain-like appearance to the garden as the plant matures. Hardy to USDA Zones 5a - 9b

Star-of-Bethlehem is a bulbous, trouble free plant. When in flower, it occupies a dark spot in the garden that would otherwise be bare soil. Especially brightening the   underside of Paeonia ostii - a leggy, woody peony species with white flowers, it echoes the color with a fine texture.
          Perfectly hardy here in USDA  Zone 6, it is toxic to grazing animals, but remains undisturbed in pastures. I moved mine from the lawn, where they were naturalized but bloom sparsely due to mowing.  It is vigorous yet manageable, unlike its close relative  - Ornithogalum nutans - which can overtake and entire acre where a house once stood.
          It blooms in concert with the Bach Festival in nearby Bethlehem, PA where  Bach's Mass in b minor was first sung in America in 1900.

           My sister bought our mother a Phalaenopsis orchid for Mother's Day at one of the shopping mall shows in the 1970s. It bloomed again the next year and I became hooked. Since then I have grown many different varieties, including hardy, terrestrial orchids.  
          In Pennsylvania, I grew orchids indoors in winter and out under trees in the summertime.  Florida has made it possible for me to grow orchids outdoors all year long, noting two seasons: a dry winter season and a rainy summer one, as most tropical climates afford these.
​          This pastel painting illustrates the difference in time from then 'til now with the advent of insect vector diseases, gardening outdoors has become not only a bother but also a danger, adding the protection of mosquito netting to the situation. Using sandboard has made it possible to build up layers of pastel to create a feeling of solid form and space.  Leaving the head unblended and 'sketchy' not only allows the viewer to see how a pastel is built up before blending, but gives the effect of perspiration and breath from behind the netting.
          The orchid depicted here is Laeliocattleya Susan Holguin "Ramona", a modern intergeneric hybrid.  It is growing on a Strangler Fig, Ficus aurea, on Sanibel Island - which is encompassing a Cabbage Palm - Sabal major - both native to Florida.

       This painting has been juried into the Bucks Fever self portrait show "Who Am I?" sponsored by Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce and is on exhibition until May 21, 2017 at thehealthwellnesscenter.com in Warrington, PA. 

         Several years back, I purchased this 100-plus-year-old George Jones tile  (background) at auction.  It was misnamed as lily-of-the-valley, but being a professional gardener, I knew differently.  It was a while before I decided to use it in a painting but when I acquired the cutting-edge snowdrop produced by Avon Bulbs www.avonbulbs.co.uk - Galanthus 'Phantom' - I knew it was the one.
          Silhouetted against the tile, 'Phantom' has two flower spikes per bulb, the first being a poculiform.  If you notice, these flowers are nearly twice the size as the flowers on the tile. Galanthus flowers a hundred years ago were smaller than the modern hybrids.  The difference is most striking seeing  them growing them side by side in the garden.
          This painting will be auctioned at David Rago Auctions www.ragoarts.com 
one of the famous appraisers from the Antiques Roadshow.  Proceeds will benefit Lambertville Historical Society www.lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org 

                        Live auction: Saturday Feb. 11 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM
                    Rago Auction Center (Cherry & Main Sts.) Lambertville, NJ

   We take for granted the discipline of plaster cast and drawing from life as if it were just part of the required classical curriculum as an art student at an academy or atelier, but seldom stop to consider why it is so important.
     Even master Abstract Expressionist painter
Hans Hofmann exhorted, "life and nature are a constant stimulus for a creative mind," imploring to always work from life.
     At first thought, it is the discipline of hand-eye coordination to get the whole thing going by representing what we see in front of us. It is also totally different than copying a print or photograph, as we have two eyes and can see around an object.  
A simple test can demonstrate this: Try giving a "thumbs up" at arms length straight in front of you. Close one eye looking directly at it. Now switch and close the other eye, alternating repetitively.  Notice that you are seeing a slightly different view with each wink. This coarsely explains why depth and atmosphere are observed from life as opposed to seeing it on a flat surface. 
        Motion in this instance is not only a contributing factor but a necessity --
the model moves as well as the artist. Perhaps you have tried taking a photo with a mobile device, just to have the object move off the viewing frame, that moment of hesitation, of human pulse and breath. 
     During the recent van Dyck show at the Frick Collection, there was a unique opportunity to see up close the drawing studies Sir Anthony made from life for his heroic portraits. They were presented in the downstairs galleries equipped with magnifying glasses allowing the eager participants a rare front row seat at a venue second to none. Spontaneously rendered from life, much like a Mozart sonata, were hands piercing through deftly intertwined fabric, sleeves of satin and lace, descriptively beautiful!
     It is incumbent upon an artist not to just copy previous historic styles of painting but to find one's own voice in this accelerated world. Studying the model from life allows the decision of what to employ and what to leave out, building upon the great knowledge and schools which have shone so brightly.
     Although the cave drawings at Lascaux, France are ancient, they are fresh and full of life, speaking over the millennia. Rendered from memory, which is actually a slower process of working from life, the creator(s) conveyed their mindful vision.
     So to me, as an artist, drawings seem to be the most intimate connection with an artist's hand.

"Black Water Pond - Beech Forest"  
​oil sketch on board  4" x 6"
​30, June 2016

When I'm on Cape Cod, I find myself spending more than half my time within the National Seashore, only coming into town to meet friends or get some food.

​          President John F. Kennedy signed the bill into law on August 9, 1961 - creating an area along the coast preserving the area from development in the ever changing landscape carved by the waves and the wind. One is always brought back to the basic elements in this inspiring wilderness which is known to jar any artist out of their comfort zone, infusing them with a fresh dose of the primal forces of nature.

           One lovely morning inspired this small oil sketch which took no more than 1/2 hr.   I had forgotten my easel so I put  a plastic sheet on the wet ground and I went to work as usual. The perspective was a bit more intimate from a lower stance, much like a small child would be viewing it.  Eventually, the Canadian Geese edged their way towards me hoping for something to eat, so they have a cameo in the painting at lower left.
Painting a sketch out in nature, one must be quick and abbreviated, capturing the meaning and feeling in as few strokes as possible. In this case I was inspired by the artist who is responsible for bringing modernist painting to America via Provincetown - Hans Hoffman  - www.hanshofmann.org  
          Abstraction has its place in the quick sketch and provides the bones for the overall composition.  I donated this painting to the silent auction this August 9, 5:00 PM at the Payomet Performing Arts Center to help raise funds for the restoration of the Red Maple Swamp Trail at  Fort Hill.

​​          May the National Seashore continue to be a welcoming haven for artists for generations to come!

This is a painting of a southern view from my barn studio in Pennsylvania. It was created on a rainy day. Note the particular attention paid to the subtleties of greens in the background, that yield to more intense colors in the foreground. Various farm implements and animals lend to the overall balanced composition leaving the viewer with an overall sense of calm.

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Thanks,
​Gerald