These paintings were painted side by side in the heat of July in my garden here in Nova Scotia.

I picked a big bouquet of flowers and set them up outside, where I prefer to paint. Fortunately there were two essential ingredients on that hot, humid day. The first was the shade of a cherry tree to cool the air,  and the second was a breeze to discourage the mosquitoes.

After painting, dripping and dragging the main colour fields into the painting outside,   I finished both paintings in the studio where I could have more control over the drying time and manipulation of the paint.

I often listen to music while I’m painting and I get lost in the music of The Sanctuary Trio’s Estuary album. It helps me to focus on the beauty, shape and colour of the flowers.

I am very happy with the luminosity and spontaneity  these paintings.

Enjoy this video showing some of the painting technique in these works of Ecstacy.

The paintings hang in my current show at Sissiboo Coffee Bar and Gallery in Bear River, NS. Opens Sunday Sept 9 from 2-4pm and continues to October 14, 2018 daily from 8 – 4.