Story behind the art of Alice Rosa

26th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and Marin Art and Garden Center

Fall Bouquet

Dahlia pinnata, Hydrangea macrophylla, Rosa floribunda, Eustoma grandiflorum, Eucalyptus pauciflora

Since moving to Concord, Massachusetts in 2016, I have enjoyed planting my garden and seeing the changes each season will bring. The idea for this piece came to me while I was in my garden in early fall. I saw how the colors, shapes, and textures blended harmoniously and naturally, and could tell summer had come to an end, with the colder days setting in. I felt I needed to portray this moment in time and give the viewer the same feeling of peace I had when I looked at my plants. The predictable cycles of plants over the course of the seasons are calming—first the daffodils and tulips in spring, then the peonies and irises, then roses and hydrangeas, then finally the dahlias. These cycles take us through the passage of time. Each bloom will have its moment. With its wilting also comes a promise of return.

I was first struck by the dahlia, with its velvety burgundy petals. It embodied the transition towards the cool fall days. The green shades of the hydrangea followed naturally, as they are a classic New England staple, and are such a big presence in my garden. Then I saw how the delicate pink of the roses would enhance both the burgundy and the green. My bouquet was starting to take shape in my mind, and I began drawing right away. I was fortunate to have plenty of specimens from my garden, but I knew I had to work quickly because the first frost could arrive any day. While working on color and composition studies, I realized that the piece needed more shades of green, so I decided to buy and add the lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) and the eucalyptus. Their color and texture balanced the composition and added the movement that was missing. 

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