Friday, February 8, 2013

Positively primroses

Primrose 1- oil on wood - 4x4"

 Okay... so I broke down and swung into Neils Flowers on my way home from town last week. I wanted to see spring flowers...especially smell them. I just love to step into their greenhouse at this time of year, like entering a new world full of perfect balance...moisture, growth and renewal. I couldn't resist buying 2 gorgeous primroses.  They remind me of England. When we lived in Camberley, Surrey they were always plentiful in January, in the shops and in the gardens.  The yellow ones have the most devine scent!  They are the ones that also grow wild, so they are more true to the original genesis of primrose.   
Primrose 2- oil on wood - 4x4"

Wash Day - oil on gessobord - 12" x 9"
Then I played around with this painting 'Wash Day'.  I developed it from a plein air that i had lying around from our Vermont excursion; one that's been hanging about ever since. With it's angry clouds (that was during Hurricane Sandy that I painted the clouds) brooding, there was an ominous feeling to it, but it seemed vacant. i added the limestone house first, then later the laundry. I might still add a figure... under the long-underwear on the line...but I'm having a hard time deciding if it needs it...any ideas?

8 comments:

  1. Sally,I love the primroses. They make me think of England too. You have painted them beautifully!
    I like the brooding atmosphere in your 'Wash Day' painting. Maybe it would benefit from a figure, but I'm not really sure.
    Wendy

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  2. Hi Wendy,
    thanks for your comments. i really value the correspondence. After giving the 'Wash Day' painting time to perculate in my mind...i have decided not to add the figure after all. i think it would just be clutter. thank you for your input it was nice to have another's opinion.

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  3. Love these paintings. I am always happy when I see the primroses in the store. Good to know about the yellow ones. Love this wash day painting with the clothes billowing in the wind. It's nice an mysterious now. I wonder where the person who did the washing is.

    Lovely,

    XO Barbara

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  4. Hi Barbara,
    oh good, i'm glad you like the 'Wash Day' as is...i sort of liked the mystery too. Thank you for your 'catching up' comments!!!

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  5. These little primroses are just darling! They very much remind me of England. i think a primrose was my first attempt at painting a flower. I also love the mood of "Laundry Day", youve captured it perfectly!

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  6. Hi Holly,
    I'm glad you're able to comment again! nice to have your encouragement. i think i might have that first attempt in your 'Holly's art scrapbook'! i love primroses...and painting them was fun.

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  7. Hi Sally,
    Your primroses are lovely. The painting brought back the memory of how I used to go primrose picking in the spring as a little girl in the Yorkshire Dales where they grew wild and covered the fields. (picking wild flowers is not the most PC thing to do any more I know!)
    Your wash day painting is perfect as it is.

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  8. Hi Sarah,
    Thanks for your feedback! What a lovely memory of picking primroses...only in England! for sure.
    I remember a similar experience when we holidayed one year in Wales at Easter, and i picked a paper bag full of bluebells to grace the Easter table. i know...it's not right to pick wild flowers...but OMG there were millions...somehow i felt the Gods were not really frowning on me.

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