STORY BEHIND THE ART OF NANCY WHEELER KLIPPERT

22nd Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Marin Art & Garden Center

Bordeaux Lily

Lilium 'Bordeaux'

I love the drama and elegance of lilies and have enjoyed painting several different varieties. I had not seen a Bordeaux lily before I found this plant. I was attracted to it because, to me, it was unusual and a new challenge.

As so often happens to me with a painting, the longer I worked on this piece, the more beauty I saw in my subject and the more determined I was to do it justice. I was discovering the depth and richness of color in the sepals and the color synergy in all its elements. I really enjoyed blending, deepening and enriching the glorious sepal hues, in contrast to the style and filaments’ lines and the stamens’ texture.

As the plant began to fade, my painting began to come to life. What a joy!

I paint exclusively with oil based colored pencil on drafting film, almost completing the entire piece before turning it over and working on the flipside. The film, inherently, has nature’s translucent quality.

Hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla

Hydrangeas grow in abundance in the gardens in my northern California neighborhood. They tend to be large bushes and quite eye-catching with their rich green leaves and brilliant inflorescences in summer.

Having completed hydrangea paintings twice before, it had not been my intention to come home with one as I shopped for a new subject. But, I couldn’t resist this young plant. I was drawn to it by the color diversity and the progression of developmental stages from flower head to flower head.

As I began to paint the sepals I was enchanted by the color subtleties within each one. It was a joy to get lost in the process.

My medium of oil-based colored pencils on translucent drafting film allowed for subtle color blending and layering. With a very sharp pencil point I could also show the detail in the tiny flower buds preparing to burst from each center.

I worked on both sides of the film, which allowed for enriching and darkening color and adding more detail.

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