Winter Studio Journal, Jan. 20: Frigid Temps + Colorful Painting

I’m logging studio days here this month, experimenting with sharing more here and less on social media.

It is frigid outside (feels like temp is currently -18) but the colors I’m working with are inspired by Italian gardens visited this time last year: roses, lemon trees, and acanthus leaves.

I’m also loosening up the paint on the Starling so it’s more fluid and abstract. The goal is to capture the light, feeling, and color of an experience rather than a literal interpretation. Acanthus leaves have always fascinated me as they are the primary feature on a Corinthian capital. This series seems to be evolving into a juxtaposition of imagery from the natural world with architectural elements. I love the architectural fragments all over Rome, symbols of decayed power and the impact of time.

There were apparently microclimates around the Colosseum, where plants not native to the are flourished. I find this completely fascinating and am working on ways to bring this into some new pieces. But, for now, I’m working with imagery from photos taken on garden walks in Italy last year.

Pink Roses in the botanical garden in Trastevere, Rome.

Acanthus leaves in the botanical garden in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome.