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Story behind the Hawaiian Heliconia flower painting
by Ruth Read
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Back when I was only painting Pets I had to order flowers and I went to a flower shop by my business. When I went into the flower shop, the owner took my order and said he had just bought the place and was looking for an artist to hang floral paintings for his grand opening.
Of course I told him I was an artist and I also told him I would like to paint his paintings. I was honest and let him know that I had not painted flowers yet, only pets. He disappeared around the corner into a walk in cooler and came back with this flower on a stem. No foliage. The flower looked prehistoric.
I had ever seen one of Heliconia flowers so big. The red flower part was over a foot long. He said here, paint this. I took it, wondering what I was getting myself into. As I walked out the door he said you have a month and I need at least 10 paintings.
I called my son in Hawaii and asked him what the foliage of Heliconia flower looked like. He shot a few photos with his phone camera and emailed them to me. Well, I had to get started so I stood this giant flower up in some water and posted printouts of foliage on the wall by my easel.
I finished more than 10 paintings for the flower shop. Starting most of them 2 or 3 a day, then let them dry while I started a few more until I had them all done by juggling them in my work space.
That red Heliconia flower lasted in a vase almost the whole month before it was placed gently on the compost. I say my thanks to that flower because I was so inspired that some of my best flower paintings were done for that flower shop. One was sold before I even finished it. I became his resident artist until he sold.
Click below to see the actual
Hawaiian Heliconia flower painting by Ruth Read
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Congratulations to both you and Ruth on this website and the great story.