Iris © Vicki Lee Johnston
A few years ago, back in the days when we could travel the world more freely I was lucky enough to visit France and the Provence region. A highlight for me was to visit the hospital where Vincent Van Gogh stayed. The gardens were magnificent, inspiring him to produce hundreds of beautiful paintings. See my original post with all the lovely iris photos and backstory here:
The irises were coming into full bloom and I couldn't resist taking loads of photos in the hope of painting one later in time. I don't normally work solely from a photograph but to honour a special place and time it's important not to get too stuck on perfect circumstances for subject matter.
 |
| Taking one of many photographic memories |
Beginning the first stages of my painting with initial washes.
You can see below my setup with the chosen photo on my iPad for reference as I worked.
 |
| Reference photo setup |
 |
| Saint Paul Asylum in St Remy |
 |
| Wonderful display of irises |
 |
| Getting there ... |
This was a fun painting to do because it gave me the opportunity to be a little more relaxed about the detail and features, it became a keepsake of sorts to remember this special time in France. It was intended for an exhibition but after a missed deadline I decided it could stay with me a while longer.
 |
| Watercolour Iris - © Vicki Lee Johnston |
I hope everyone is keeping well and optimistic about days ahead when we can look forward to a return to travel and hugging and enjoying life at its fullest. I have been blessed to spend this very unique time with my soul mate and precious family, being grateful for the simple things in life and honouring the natural world.
 |
| © Vicki Lee Johnston |
