Magic of the Matilijas

The cheery Yellow Southwestern Chair is next. Mixes of Cadmium Yellow Medium + Cadmium Orange + MUD (Ultramarine Blue + Alizarin Crimson) are used for the shadows. Those parts of the chair touched by the sun are painted with Pure Cadmium Yellow Medium. You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them.

The blossoms of the Matilija (Ma-Tee-Ah) Poppies are blocked in with various aquas, blues and purples. This base provides the shadows of the white flowers, I’ll come back later to add the pure White highlights.

The Poppies and Hollyhocks are worked on as a unit. The foliage of the Poppies is loosely painted around the Whites then I rough in the Magenta flowers of the Hollyhocks. Painting the greens of the large Hollyhock leaves around the Magenta helps to shape the blossoms.

Deep yellow centers are added, giving the Poppies their distinctive “Fried Egg” look. Tall stalks with seed pods finish out the Hollyhocks.

The containers of Petunias are various combinations of Permanent Rose + White and Cadmium Red Light + White. The colors are jumbled together to make the mass of flower color, then the bright greens made of Pthalo Blue + Lemon Yellow are painted. The deep centers seen in the finished flowers on the right are made of Magenta.

Magic of the Matilijas      24″ x 30″    Original Oil Painting

Matilija Poppies look as if they are made of crepe paper. I’ll never forget when Jack and I first saw them. We were driving through the mountains near Lake Elsinore, California where they grew wild along the roadside. It was love at first sight. We had to ask several people before we finally found out what their real name was. Most just referred to them as “Fried Egg Flowers”! Hugs,