This new painting has been accepted to this year's Oil Painters of America National Exhibition! The exhibition will take place at The Bennington Center for the Arts in Bennington, Vermont, June 7 - July 27, 2014. Happily, this year's OPA National Exhibit will be close enough for me to attend without flying.
Flowers don't seem to carry the same weight of symbolism that they used to carry in paintings, but just for fun, I decided to use night-blooming "moonflowers" in this painting. As an added fun conceptual bonus, these flowers belong to "the classic 'witches' weeds', along with deadly nightshade, henbane, and mandrake. Most parts of the plants contain toxic hallucinogens, and datura [moonflower] has a long history of use for causing delirious states and death. It was well known as an essential ingredient of love potions and witches' brews." Thank you, Wikipedia.
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| Oil on Linen, 18 x 24 inches |
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| Detail in raking light |
Wow, this is such an incredible painting. I am enthralled! And I had no idea about the language of flowers. This gives a whole new depth to art. Thank you for sharing.
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