Spring Scentsation is a relatively large oil painting of a soft and fragrant while lilac that grows on our property line in the back yard. There is quite a story getting the painting to this point.
Inspiration is everywhere
A few years back when visiting my daughter, we went for many walks around her area in Vancouver. It seemed to me that almost every property we walked by had a tree line border framing in their yard. They were really well designed. Tall trees with shrubs at their base. There really was no need for weeding as the growth from the shrubs kept them in check. Everything grows uber big in Vancouver and very fast!
I was inspired. When I got home I let mentioned by big idea to my husband, whose pride and joy is the lawn – that I was proposing for us to dig up a lot of the lawn and create a lovely tree line. Took some convincing. But we did it.
The only problem is the deer
One thing that I really wanted to grow is a white lilac. We planted it in the tree line, quite close to our neighbour’s gigantic apply tree (that we secretly prune back every chance we get – so our plants will get enough light). It was so lovely. That spring the blossoms opened up and my heart sang…for one night. Bambi and her entourage came through in the darkness and ate every single blossom.
Once again, we declared war! Our lovely white lilac now resides in a chicken wire cage that is tall enough to foil the appetites of those garden marauders! It will remain a caged specimen until it grows large enough that the deer’s munching will not cause it any real harm. Likely three more years.
Point of all this is to say – I love white lilacs. Most of this effort over the past few years, was to be able to paint it!
And paint it I have. This piece took an inordinate amount of time. I usually paint the background last. But this time I went in way sooner than I think I should have. It was ok. Only ok. I knew that and had to brave up to go back in and modify it. And so I did. And it was decidedly better. Only better. Not quite pulling up a bit of drama like I was hoping for. I continued working on the florets while I contemplated shredding or burning it.
Lessons learned
Third times a charm. Yes, I went back in a third time and repainted the entire background again! Obviously, the previous layers influence the top layer, with the green remaining in the same hue, but this time I am happy with the results. Note to self – wait to paint the background until you are sure you know the results you want to achieve.
