Yes! We finally have some rain in Northern California!!! My flowers are loving it and the change in weather makes me want to stay home, light the fire, curl up and read or paint!
Over the last two months I have helped to hang two art shows. One at the local Town Hall Theater and one at Chimney Rock Winery in Napa. One of my paintings at the winery is of my nieces daughter, Lily.
I have always had a passion for Bouguereau's painting of Yvonne (see below).
I just love the soft colors and the innocence of it all. Those little dimpled arms and sweet face. Her hands on the chair.
So our Lily reminded me of this little girl. I asked her mom to pose her similarly and take a few photo's for me.
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| Not quite there but she is trying very hard....... |
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| Look at those eyes.....quite the doll! |
So after several more, Lily's pose was just what I was looking for.
I have a French painting stool that looks similar to his prop in Yvonne's painting. And I re-dressed Lily similarly to Yvonne.
I eventually lost the back of the stool and changed the angle of it somewhat. But I still needed something on the stool that would keep a little girl entertained. Right?
I had just returned from the nursery with a flat of white Primroses. I sat one in a pot and painted it in from life that evening. Perfect addition along with a "old world" print in the background.
Pulling together all of these "props" to see what would work was fun and I loved painting little Lily!
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| "Lily (with a nod to Bouguereau)" |
"Each day I go to my studio full of joy; in the evening when obliged to
stop because of darkness I can scarcely wait for the morning to come...
if I cannot give myself to my dear painting I am miserable." - Adolfe-William Bouguereau
