Beach Blossom

Here's a new experiment... This is Oil Pastel on a simply a posterboard paper.

The 4x16 inches was requirement for the design of a lamppost banner competition in Laguna Beach City. I have submitted this design, because I love florals. Thinking of Laguna Beach, I always love to see these cactus blooms while strolling there on the hilltop overlooking the ocean. The results will be out next week and the selected designs will then be painted on 4x16 feet acrilon banner by the Artist. Once complete these banners will be displayed on the lamp posts in City of Laguna Beach. It is my first time trying out for such a thing... so lets see... 

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Beach Blossom - 4x16 inches, Oil Pastel on Paper

Dazzling Agave (pronounced as uh-gah-vay)

Now here's my new experiment with colors! I took a simple green succulent and wanted to make it look abstract. Hope you like my fantasy -  

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Dazzling Agave - 12x16 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

I tried to take the best picture here, but nowadays I feel its a challenge to take a picture of my painting. In person, the painting looks a bit different since one can see the depth of color and its variations. The camera doesn't really capture all of it.

About Agave: These kind of succulents are found in abundance in southern and western United States. It was considered sacred plant by Ancient Mexicans. It was a belief that the liquid from this plant purified the body and soul.

I thought this will be interesting for you all to know that the juices from the agave after fermenting, leads to the drink called tequila.

White Cactus Bloom - SOLD

Cactus plants are to be found all around in the wilderness trail behind my backyard. I am facinated by the colorful blooms on these plants. The most common ones on our trail are currently bearing fruit - an oblong red kind of fruit. One day I am going to paint that too... But this one I painted from a photo reference on Wetcanvas forum (thanks to whoever posted the beautiful pictures!).
I painted this using the palette knife and using the new techniques I learnt during the January Workshop (see earlier blog post). I have the pictures of stages 1 and 2 below. I couldn't take a picture of stage 3 because it progressed so slowly, and somehow it looked so ugly to me that I was about to quit doing this painting. But filnally! I am so happy to be done with this. Hope you like it!


White Cactus Bloom - 11x14 inches, Oil on Canvas Panel

SOLD

Following are pictures of Stages 1 and 2. By the end of stage 2 as I progressed further, my flower was turning colorful. I wondered, is this thing ever going to turn out white... !?  :) :)

White Cactus Bloom - Stage 1

White Cactus Bloom - Stage 2

Here's the inspirational picture I used for this painting. As you can see I have changed things around in my painting, specially the background.

White Cactus bloom - reference from Wetcanvas forum