Painted Sunflowers never fade even as winter is near.

While painted sunflowers never fade, all other colourful flowers are showing signs that they have been touched by the cold that has been with us for the last week in eastern Ontario.

Here Comes the Sun collage sunflower by Louise Primeau
Here Comes the Sun - Enfin, le soleil. Mixed media on 9 x 12 watercolour paper with acrylic, gelli printed paper, and markers.

 

Sunflowers offer us one last glimpse of summer colours as they turn their heads to the fading autumn sun.

These painted Helianthus are favourite daisy family flowers. With over 70 species, I don’t know which one I have painted here. Sunflowers are very common in our area whether it is in fields or in backyard gardens.

Trying to loosen up doesn’t always work.

Experimental collage using gelli printed encyclopedia page.
Experimenting with collage. Paper is a gelli printed old encyclopedia page.

In my efforts to loosen up, I was overly enthusiastic. I felt that I had over worked the painting and it wasn’t making me happy.

As I have a huge stash of collage papers including many I have made with a gelli plate, I thought why not cover some of the sunflower with these printed papers? After all, there is nothing to lose and I gain valuable insights perhaps into using papers for collage.

As a result, what should have been an acrylic painting on 9 x 12 watercolour paper became a mixed media artwork with several experimental additions.

While I did wonder if one could overdo collage, (I am sure it is possible) I didn't worry too much about it. This is the only way to learn, right? I did have fun although now my fingers have a second sticky skin and that keeps peeling off.

Some days are just like that and I have to go with the flow! That in itself is one lesson that I am learning as I continue my art journey.

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It’s what sunflowers do.  – Helen Keller.

First try at loose sunflower
First try painting loose sunflower.

 

Another collage floral finished earlier this year.

This one I forgot to publish in February. So I suppose the sunflower would be my second attempt...unless I have forgotten some other collage work. That's always a possibility!

 

Cheerful Bouquet Collage
Cheerful Bouquet Collage.

Have a great week everyone!

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