I painted Garden Afire after two very different mornings in two very different places, but each devoted to simply sitting outside in my rocking chair and soaking in the sights and sounds of summer. Sipping coffee, scratching the dog's ears, relishing in the realization that there was no place I needed to be more than right where I was.
The first morning of inspiration for this varnished watercolor painting, I was high in the Davis Mountains, watching the frenzy of hummingbirds swarm the feeders hanging from our RV. This feisty Rufous hummingbird soon claimed both feeders as his own, so I had a fine time snapping blurry photos with my phone. The second whiff of inspiration came a couple of years later, with me on our patio admiring the patch of zinnias growing semi-feral, waving and swaying in time to the breeze in our small cottage garden in Central Texas. Separate experiences from two very different lifestyles. But in both cases, I felt pure energy — fast wings, bright petals, summer sunbeams and vibrant colors. It seemed natural to join those two mornings into one painting.
I’ve always loved hummingbirds, free little spirits that run at warp speed. They're unconcerned about being smaller than other birds. No flower is too big to tackle, no feeder too populated to push their way in. Being the shrimp in my own family, I can relate to their brazen self-confidence. As for zinnias, I love colorful blooming things, and these tall heirloom zinnias gave me all the color I could want with their warm, saturated reds, pinks, oranges tucked into cool greens and violets and teal blues. Applying archival varnish over my paints keeps these colors as vibrant as those waving petals; weaving thin layers of color around and over and under one another make this artwork luminous and slightly mysterious. I think this painting has a strong presence.
Nature does love a dramatic entrance.
This original is painted on archival board. The varnish adds protection from UV rays and means no glass is needed over this painting. This is a summer treat for collectors who love hummingbirds and flower gardens. It's a happy painting, the kind of artwork that brings a joyous burst of life into a room.
