I have been interested in the image of the Cherry Blossom for years. It has been a recurring theme found in the artwork of the east for centuries. Artists have decorated pottery, silk paintings and woven delicate cherry blossoms on kimonos. The flower’s soft petals contrasted by the lines of the branches and the deep burgundy leaves next to the light blossoms have caught the eye of many artists. I gave myself the challenge of adding to the worlds collection of cherry blossom paintings when I walked down a quaint street a few weeks ago with my camera and took pictures of the blossoms. I feel that I will need to capture some of the features from Art History bringing in the texture of the silk from the kimono and the simplicity and elegance of the lines found in prints.

Finding the composition sometimes happens with mixing several different images together. Taking elements from one and putting it together with another in your sketch book. Other times your camera can find the composition that says everything you need but is missing the artist’s personal touch. For this painting I found all the components I needed with my camera, but changed the focus and planed my technique around what I wanted to accomplish, which is the feelings cherry blossoms give as well as the history that is evoked by this image.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are snap shots of the current painting in progress. My next step is to create the background where I want to imitate the texture of silk while still giving a little hint of the natural scenery.