STORY BEHIND THE ART OF CARRIE DI COSTANZO

21st Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Wave Hill

Faded Celosia

Celosia argentea

The celosia flower is a subject I revisit almost every season. It grows in many unique shapes and sizes, so there is always potential for a new and different perspective. This particular flower is from my garden but is different than others I have painted because it was dried, and well past its prime. The leaves had fallen and the color that remained was a burnt orange with ochre undertones. I liked the shape and contours of the very large flower head.

It is a challenge to capture the textural details of the celosia flower. Using opaque white gouache mixed with the local color helped to illustrate the parts of the inflorescence that were highlighted. To add contrast, dark, rich and opaque colors were used for the areas in shadow. The rest of the flower head was painted with semi-opaque gouache working from light to dark.

The composition is based on the simple position of this flower. The interest lies in the curves and contours within the flower head, which reminds me of a complex maze. It is both fascinating to behold and to paint and for this reason, I return to this subject very often.

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Read more about this artist’s work: America's Flora