Starshine

Original Sold

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My paintings happen in at least a couple of ways: I’m out hunting for them, usually in a garden, camera in hand, gorgeousness all around me. Sometimes it’s overwhelming – all these potential paintings, everywhere! And then there’s the way this one came to be – I was just walking down our street, with dog on leash, by a neighbor’s front yard. Ambushed.

There it was in Marsha’s garden, this really nifty-looking succulent, the morning light cast upon it making such interesting colors in its shadows. Blue! Part of the shadows were blue. I made it more noticeable with the colors I used, but it was indeed blue to start. Along with all the rest of the colors, I just had to make this one my second succulent painting.

The first bits I painted – the darks around the edges – I found easy, flowing, I thought this will come through in no time at all. Then, reality corrected me. So much texture, so many color changes in small areas. We call it art work for a reason. No complaints — this is what I’m here to do. It’s just that I amuse myself with my ever-optimism.

Sometime while I was working on it, I noticed it was gone from Marsha’s yard. Oh, no, it died, It thought.  It joined the other  trees and shrubs in our neighborhood who live on only in my paintings. One day I saw Marsha in her open garage and asked about it. It wasn’t getting enough water, so she moved it to a greenhouse in the backyard. Yay! It didn’t die.

The name was inspired by a song I’ve heard most of my life – from the musical “Hair.” My one-word title “thing” has me calling this one simply “Starshine” with hopes that the “good morning” will come to your mind on its own.

22″x22″ – Winter 2023/2024 – Watercolor on paper