STORY BEHIND THE ART OF PATRICIA LUPPINO

22nd Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists at Marin Art & Garden Center

Fascinator

Paeonia lactiflora

Beautiful flowers do inspire me, but typically only after they’re past their prime. I’ll admit to feeling a bit of contempt for beautiful flowers. So much so, that I don’t want to spend my time capturing their perfection. They’re always attention grabbers in their youth, but I prefer viewers appreciate them as they age. As they age, they may lose their symmetry and color, but they tell a different and hidden story that’s often more interesting and beautiful too.

This typical garden peony had lost most of its petals and the remaining petals were beginning to dry. I thought it was interesting how the petals and stamens looked windswept and were fixed in that position. The red and gold pattern on the domed receptacle was so beautiful and immediately reminded me of those high-fashion hair accessories, Fascinators, which seem the rage with British royalty of late.

I did want to emphasize the windblown look of the petals, but they were starting to brown and were a rather dull and uninteresting color. My focal point was the receptacle (the Fascinator), so I decided to complete that in colored pencil and the petals in graphite. I carried a bit of the central colors onto the petals to gradually blend with the graphite and tie the two sections together.

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Read more about this artist’s work: 21st Annual