STORY BEHIND THE ART OF HILLARY PARKER
15th Annual International
American Society of Botanical Artists at
The Horticultural Society of New York
Wooly Fern Fiddlehead
Dicksonia Antarctica
What is your personal view of the artwork, for instance in terms of media, colors, composition?
When it comes to painting with watercolors, I LOVE a technical challenge! This particular painting was a limited palette of complementary colors, green and red. The challenge was to apply them in glazes and dry brush without mixing them. In addition, the contrasts of texture were fun to create by showing the glossy new skin peaking thru in balding patches as a contrast to the coarse, hairy, protective fur. The composition was especially important. Finding the right angle to speak about the growth and movement of this plant was essential.
Why did you choose this subject to portray?
As I walked thru the Atlanta Botanical Garden they caught my eye and stopped me in my tracks. That's usually an indication that I need to paint something!! At first glance, they looked like little orangutan heads popping up thru cinnamon orange fur, each one uncoiling in different stages and facing in slightly different directions. It made me giggle and held my attention. Upon further study, I was drawn to the reaching, unfurling movement taking place as they stretched and reach out like enormous arms. Each little fiddlehead had the potential to be a gorgeous open frond that spanned up to 20 feet in length. I thought about the hidden potential inside us all and how nature reminds us at every turn!
Did you face any unique challenges as you worked on this piece?
Each painting I do is a series of problems to solve...with what I know thus far as an artist, "how will I do this", or "show that"? It's the exercise of problem solving that captures my attention and holds me to the finish.
What would you hope people would notice or appreciate when viewing this work?
As with all of my paintings, if something captures my attention, I want to share that with the viewer, drawing them in, nose to the glass, and then encouraging them to take a step back and read the painting from a distance as well.
How does this work relate to your body of work?
Each subject I chose has its own unique liveliness, vitality, and character. It's my challenge and joy to identify that and create compositions that allow each subject to speak for itself. That is what all of my paintings share in common.
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