STORY BEHIND THE ART OF INGRID FINNAN

15th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at

The Horticultural Society of New York

Hydrangea

Hydrangea paniculata

What is your personal view of the artwork, for instance in terms of media, colors, composition? 

I was immediately drawn to the hydrangea as a painting subject. The individual flowers are not showy, but the entire panicle creates its own impact. 

Why did you choose this subject to portray?

I couldn't recall seeing a panicle hydrangea shown in prior years at an ASBA/HORT exhibition. I find it easier to paint a new subject than to paint a flower that has already been exquisitely painted by other artists in prior shows. 

Did you face any unique challenges as you worked on this piece?

I tried to start with one, but one of these panicles looks lonely, so I ended up with two...of course regretting it because it was so much work! But the placement of a single panicle seemed awkward on my paper sketch, so I added a second and played with the composition until I felt I had a workable layout. 

What would you hope people would notice or appreciate when viewing this work?

I hope the viewer's eyes are drawn into the art work to move from panicle to panicle; a single panicle would have looked more static on the paper. 

How does this piece relate to your body of work?

Most of my botanical paintings are done in oil on paper as is this one. I think I am generally drawn to subject matter that is not overtly showy but creates interest when the individual parts are carefully examined. 

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