Yes, the iris's are beautiful but there seems to me something about iris with short stems that just does not seem right. I still think it is a beautiful painting and a joy to look at. We have had a very beautiful and 'still' autumn day (easter Saturday) here in Melbourne Australia.
Reddish purple flames, like a pink tourmaline fire.
And in the vase above water, two hands joining, like a symbol, on the eve of Easter... Splendid, Julian.
No these were long though there are miniature ones up on the mountain. Ruth had a similar worry when I described what I planned but she was delighted with the result - but then she is a big fan! I wanted to get away from the tyranny of long thin canvases.
i too mind the shortness of the stems as it destoys the proud uprightness of the iris....how about painting the beautiful purple colors and velvet texture of the petals from the top so the stems dont have to show....or perhaps even lay them down as you did the daffodils....who am i to complain....i love all yr paintings.
Interesting what you all say about the shortness of the stems. These wild 'bearded' irises are certainly very different from the ones my Granny used to love back in England which were much taller and slimmer! They are taken from a bank on the way to the village where I can just about see their heads flapping like prayer flags by the roadside when I go in to get bread. They always make me so happy, and part of that is their smell which is so delicate and utterly exquisite. (I think Occitane have just stolen my next idea and have brought out an iris perfume.) I was pretty scared by the short stem idea (which I have found has not worked in some past paintings) until these were put on our kitchen wall. Perhaps because of the squareness of the canvas and the vase, they totally worked for me, spilling sensuously out over the vase like that......
thank you, ruth, for the explanation of the stems these being wild iris and i can visualize them growing by the wayside, rather than sedately in a garden. grace
Wow...I really need to start proofreading my comments before I hit submit...I MEANT, Happy Easter to you, Julian and to Ruth and everyone else!!! By the way, I understand the weirdness some people felt about the short stems, however, I think Ruth is right about the squareness balancing it all out. It's not what one would expect, but it works and I really like it. Painting is sort of like a science experiment, sometimes it fails miserably, but at other times you get a wonderful surprise, and this is one of those lovely surprises that makes us see irises in a different way...
Like a second-rate paraphrase:
" Irises or not irises, that is not the question ", but what is an artwork, its secret harmony or alchemy, its message shrouded in mystery...This painting has great charm...Elusive.
know what you mean about those tall thin canvasses... this is a gem- the warmly glowing background, trails of reflected light from the glass onto the tablecloth, hitting the inside of the blossoms, the squareness is so satisfying...love it.
Iris have a special meaning for me, as my late wife used to grow them and at one time we had over a thousand in fairly small area. the color and aroma was just great.
We used to let neighbors pick some until one time after my wife's passing I found the neighbor from across the street filling her wheel barrow with them. Thanks for this one, it brought back many warm memories. I think I will paint some this year. Its still a little early yet here in NY,but I can hardly wait. Hope you had a wonderful Easter.
Arnie
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