Building Ideas

First the uprights of the basic architectural elements are lightly drawn with a brush dipped in a thin mixture of MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) + Liquin. Perspective lines keep me on track as I establish the skeleton of the piece. I love this stage of the painting, it’s fun to build on my original ideas. At first I had planned a fountain in the background by the gate. But at 3:14 this morning I woke up with the thought, “it’s a flower shop. We need racks of cut flowers.” We had taken some pictures at the Central Market in San Antonio that I won’t copy exactly but offer good reference.

With flower stands now lining the alley, this is really beginning to look like a flower shop. After the buildings are set the pots, flowers, vines and various accoutrements are drawn in. At this point changes are made, like shortening the window with the awning on the front of the Flower Shop, then adding one on the side. Some of the shadow areas are washed in with the same thin, Liquin mixture. When building a painting I follow the flow of ideas. It seems as if one thought generates another. All of a sudden I start remembering pictures from out of the past, perfect for the piece I’m working on.

The two different photos above are used as reference for the large container by the front door of the flower shop. The picture on the left is on the Plaza in Santa Fe. Some of these flowers will be planted in the beautiful blue pot from Taos seen on the right.

The colorful flower patch above was taken as we drove into town on our last trip to Santa Fe. My heart jumped with excitement when I saw these lush blooms. Jotting down ideas for this piece in my sketchbook I remembered the delightful desert garden.

The giant blue pot and foreground garden are added. Hollyhocks are placed on the right side of the canvas. Their foliage will provide a dark upright to stop the viewer’s gaze from going off the edge, directing it back into the painting. The “Threshold” shadow washed in across the foreground completes the sketching process. See you tomorrow. Hugs, Mikki Senkarik

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