I love nasturtiums! Apart from anything else they always remind me of the joy of Matisse's paintings.They grow wild in my garden .. more leaves than flowers, it must be said. Our neat neighbour hates them, as they are so 'messy'(and wild), but I just love how they wind their bright way through and over everything that looks better smothered, and rather a lot that doesn't. But the time always comes when they must be 'thinned out'. Inevitably the piece I pull belongs to a rope several metres long, and suddenly the show is over.
So I put some pieces in a vase, and there they carry on their busy-ness, bending and twisting this way and that. Watercolour magnet; awfully difficult. Everytime I come back they've all shifted position. So here is a very busy, over worked and unsatisfactory vase of nasturtiums.I should not have put in the ochre wall behind. Especially as I left out the lovely bright window in it! I might try again. This was a bit ambitious anyway.
I must say that for once the painting is brighter than the reproduction I think. Why?I've been adding to it this worrisome weekend, while Ketchup Sketchup sister Gillian sits out Hurricane Ike near Houston. Have had news that they are fine ..lost just a fence, and power, of course, which will mean days of heat, humidity and mozzies. But they're OK!
Matisse's Nasturtiums
Ah well.
9 comments:
Ooh, I love a new Kitchen Table piece! These are gorgeous - you've got their twirling, entwining wildish nature perfectly and I love the green glass and it's reflection/shadow. I think reds - and oranges ? - do give untrue screen reproduction - they absorb light instead of letting it through, or something!
I believe that if your soil is good, you get more leaves than flowers - my patch of nasturtiums has lots of flowers! I love the way light shines through them like stained glass, have photographed them but haven't tried painting them yet. Perhaps I will after seeing your lovely rendition - I think Matisse would like it!
Oh Hi there! How're you feeling?
I'd love to see your nasturtiums (nasturtia?). I think if I had the patience I should paint one petal, let it dry, then the overlapping one on top. Transparency of flowers ... have not achieved it yet. Now I'm trying to do another, a bit more simply, but in a more difficult container.Thanks for your nice words.
I love your nasturtiums, Vivienne, and your description of them--it describes them and the feeling you convey in the painting both. You capture their papery delicateness too. And I like this horizontal composition--they really seem to be sending feelers out ...
Thank you Laura. I really value your comments.
Both these paintings are wonderful; so different in style. You are clever! That pale spring green and rich orange-red are one of my most favourite colour combinations. I enjoy what you call "overworked" in the first one - 'cos that's how they really grow. The 2nd one - very modern in design is just as pleasing.
Re. Ike - we're blessed with cool autumnal temperatures now, so for those still without power... it could be a lot worse!
Well, phooey! I love this!
The deleted comment was from me.
I wanted to say, this picture of the nasturtiums puts me in mind of one of my favorite artists, Carl Larsson. I linked to an example, and it didn't make a successful link, so I deleted it.
Hi Leslie,
Thank you for your kind comment. I looked up Carl Larsson on the internet (this blogging is good on insomnia nights!)What a delightful world! Linking to your blog, I can see the connection of spirit. Our gentle Swedish grandfather would have been fascinated at these links we make.
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