Long weekend is perfect for painted forever tulips.
On this Victoria Day long weekend in Canada, I painted a small bouquet of purple tulips just as mine in the front yard begin to drop their colourful petals.
This weekend is the unofficial start of summer in eastern Ontario. We have a taste of sunny, warm days to follow in the next months. Cottages are opened, boats are brought to docks, and backyard pools are readied for summer. The scent of sizzling barbecues wafts around local neighborhoods. Parks are filled with families enjoying picnics, and later in the evening, if the mosquitoes aren’t too bloodthirsty, we gather around firepits with a glass of wine to savour the quiet of the night.
Painted forever tulips.
So on this perfect long weekend, I spent a few hours in the early afternoon, when the heat is most oppressive, to paint a bouquet of purple tulips.
Next, I decided at the very last minute that I wanted the tulips to be a little different from the vase. The quickest way to do this (without reworking the tulips entirely) was to add a glaze of Quinacridone Magenta to each flower.
Now it's time to enjoy the outdoors! Have a great week everyone.
Victoria Day Bouquet – acrylic on 8 x 8 wood panel. Painted in impressionistic loose style. For other impressionistic florals see Inspired by Fields of Tulips and Funky February Florals.
Beautiful! I love the palette of colors.
Thank you Catherine.
Wow Louise, this is impressive, I would happily hang it on our wall. Love the combination of colours. You are doing really well with this process. I was thinking, do you miss the pool, but then remembered you don’t miss, or Neil doesn’t, the cleaning. I will look forward to seeing your Garden garden.
I haven’t missed the pool at all but I do miss all my flowers especially in spring and summer. I hope to improve my floral paintings and hang them around the house. Thanks Sally.
Those greens really catch the eye and lead it out, Louise.
It’s strange, we dont have a Victoria day – though we already have two public holidays in May. Any more and the lazy Brits would never get any work done.
This holiday dates way back to 1845 but it became a legal holiday after Queen Victoria died. It is a tradition that on this holiday weekend, we celebrate outdoors since the weather is often pleasant. So this past weekend, we had several summer markets opening which coincided with tulip festivals and open gardens and nurseries. In the evening, there are sometimes fireworks although never as impressive as those on July 1, our national holiday. I think Canadians would be disappointed if Queen Victoria holiday were to be removed from the calendar! Thanks for stopping by Graham.
I love this rendering of the purple tulips. Most affective Louise.
Thank you Vivienne. There are so many colours and shapes of tulips even some that look a bit like roses. The Angelique tulip for example is one that I have only seen in magazines but it is my favourite.
Wow!!! Dear Louise I love your tulips!!! The colors are wonderful and you did a beautiful shading of the blossoms.
Hi Birgit,
I was trying to keep the little details out of the picture and just look at the broad strokes. Thank you, my friend,for your very kind words that are always encouraging!