Our home has three camellia trees. During its season, we enjoyed plenty of red and pink camellias.
They are usually my painting subjects because my husband and sons like to surprise me with this flower when they do yard work.
I wanted to paint all the mementos that were presented to me by my family, no matter how insignificant.
Those sweet moments will pass by and will never come back. I had to be selective in choosing my subjects to paint. But then, how could I resist painting this beautiful, red camellia gifted to me by my youngest son?
As a self-taught botanical still life artist, who specializes in painting realistic, detailed and vibrant botanicals, I’m always searching for beautiful subjects to paint, particularly flowers.
While I was deep into my painting, I heard a door open. I was too busy to look up to see who had come into the room.
My youngest son approached me with his hands behind his back. With a wide grin on his face, he quickly put this lovely, deep red camellia on my table and ran back out!
I was clueless for a bit. I was caught off guard by his action. My son’s thoughtful gesture made me smile.
Instead of just playing in the yard like most children would do, my son plucked a flower to surprise his mom.
I grabbed my camera and took pictures of the camellia. It was around 5 or 6pm and the lighting in my office/studio wasn’t that bright, so I had to quickly take pictures of the camellia.
I usually photograph my subject during the daytime and when my subject is freshly picked. I positioned the flower to showcase its vibrant, red color. After turning the flower a few times to find the best position, I managed to find its best side.
One spot was showing this beautiful red-orange kinda see through color. That’s the highlight of this camellia. I love the color and I couldn’t wait to paint it.
I’ve painted many camellias in colored pencil, but this time I used pastel.
Whenever I gaze at this Camelia painting, it transports me back to that unexpected joy and sweet moment when my son surprised me with this lovely flower. I will surely treasure it forever.
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Here’s an idea on how to decorate your home with this beautiful print.
What story would you tell with this flower print? Let me know in the comments!
Stay kreatif,
Siti
