Orange Irises, 30 x 30 x 2 inches, pulp painting.

My garden paintings are in the tradition of Art Nouveau, a decorative style popular in the late 19th century. Art Nouveau is famous for its decorative aesthetic, bold colors, array of textures, and whiplash curves found in nature, in this case gardens bursting with the delightful fragrance of flowers in bloom. Using cotton and abaca pulp allows me to recreate the emotional pull nature has on us and celebrate the ephemeral beauty of a summer garden as it blooms for only a short while.

Orange Irises: My garden was filled with colorful irises this summer. I decided to paint them before to season passed and they became a distant memory. I did a little research into the meaning of irises and discovered that they symbolize faith, courage, hope, and wisdom. Not bad for a hardy perennial flower.

In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow and a messenger for Zeus and Hera. A pretty impressive job title.

Vibrant orange irises symbolize courage, bravery and passion. They are the perfect flowers to give someone who’s about to start a new job, move into a new home or do something else exciting! “Orange” you glad you know this bit of trivia. Ok, that was bad.