Blue Bearded Iris

Acrylic on Linen 6”x6” $95
http://www.bulmanfineart.com/
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

The unusual color and angle of this flower attracted me to it. Instead of being upright, this bloom grew more horizontally, showing the top and inside view. Another local hybrid, we chose this iris for its warm earthy tons to contrast with the blue and pastel blooms on some of the other iris. The edges of the petals are a beautiful combination of dusty rose and bronze, fading to bright white in the center. I’m very pleased by how much movement and personality these flower paintings have.

Sunlit Iris

Acrylic on Linen 6”x6” $95
http://www.bulmanfineart.com/
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

This is a tall, bearded iris with light blue “standards” with dark blue “falls”. Each fall has an adornment resembling a fuzzy caterpillar. It was purchased from a long time iris grower in Deming, Washington. She opened her fields a few days a week in the spring so you could choose your bulbs from the flowering examples and pick up your bulbs for planting in the fall.

White Iris

Acrylic on Linen 6”x6” $95
http://www.bulmanfineart.com/
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

I was struck by the brilliance and strong structure of this white Dutch iris blooming next to a large cedar tree in the front yard. To draw them is almost a scientific experience, detailing each of the forms and structures. The three erect inner segments are petals and the horizontal outer segments are petal-lie sepals. These usually have a yellow stop at their center.

Dutch irises acquired their name from the hybrid bulbs developed by Dutch growers using plants originally from Spain, Portugal, Sicily and Northern Africa.

Pink and White Tulip

Acrylic on Linen 6”x6” $95
http://www.bulmanfineart.com/
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

I’ve been watching this tulip grow and develop for the past week or so and am always impressed by how strong the blooms are. They last through all kinds of weather becoming fuller and more colorful.

Painting anything white is always a challenge and the more you look the more subtle colors you see. In this piece I used a strong dark background to emphasize the pleasant tones in the white petals and the reddish-pink ruffled edges. At only 2” tall I still found it to be a fascinating subject to paint.

Sunlit Iris

Acrylic on Linen 6”x6” $95
http://www.bulmanfineart.com/
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

After 3 days of temperatures in the 80’s, very unusual for this area, the yard is a riot of spring colors. The Japanese, Dutch and bearded iris are beginning to bloom with their showy and complex structures. The flowers have fascinating shapes and colors and their translucent quality adds to some complex plays of light and shadow. This flower was an amazing color combination of mauve and ultramarine blue. I set it against a background of rich evergreens.

Tulip and Lilac

Acrylic on Linen 6”x6” $95
www.BulmanFineArt.com
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

Tulips are one of the few bulbs that have managed to naturalize in our wet clay soil. We enjoy the wide variety of shapes and colors although the deer often eat many before they open!

This large yellow tulip is very distinctive with it’s brilliant red ruffled edges and full, firm petals. I particularly liked it against a background of deep purple lilacs, which is another heirloom variety we grow.

Purple and White Bachelor’s Button

Acrylic on Linen 6”x6” $95
www.BulmanFineArt.com
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

The square format of my new linen sketch pad is leading to some interesting compositions. This purple bachelor button is a biennial in the northwest. We also grow a blue variety, both are great re-seeders. I always wondered why they are called bachelor’s buttons and recently found out that the blue varieties are a traditional favorite for boutonnieres. I did not use any white paint in this piece but used the bright canvas for highlights, a technique borrowed from watercolor and also used by the Impressionists in many of their paintings.

Pink Peony

Acrylic on Linen 6"x6" $95
www.BulmanFineArt.com
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

This is another heirloom peony that has been passed around the county for yeqars. The spiraling petals remind me of a Mandela.

I painted this in acrylic on a Gessoed lined which takes a little longer than the watercolors but produces much richer tonalities. Viewed close up the flower is very loosely painted but viewed from a distance it becomes very three dimensional and realistic.

Quince Blossoms II

Watercolor 5”x7” $45
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Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

These are flowers from a “Smyrna” quince tree we planted in front of the house in 2003 and is now above 8’ tall, although I keep it trimmed back to about 6’.

Related to the pear, quince has been used as a food source since ancient times by many cultures and the “Smyrna” is an heirloom variety from Turkey. The twisted branches are attractive in winter followed by light green foliage and 2” wide light pink flowers in the spring. The early fall brings a crop of pear like, hard yellow fruits that are highly aromatic. We just discovered an ancient Roman recipe involving hollowing out the centers, filling it with honey and baking in a pastry shell. This Fall’s recipe.

Red Peony

Watercolor 7”x5” $45
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Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

This is an old fashioned peony that has been in my garden about 15 years. It was a gift from a friend who received the original plant from a long time local gardener. The large deep red blooms stand out nicely from the blue and yellow foliage. I used watercolor pencils for the majority of this painting with some added touches of tube and transparent watercolors.

Tulip Trio

Watercolor 7”x5” $45
www.BulmanFineArt.com
Rick@BulmanFineArt.com

These miniature tulips bloom in a warm and protected spot just outside my studio door. They have been early and strong bloomers for years and are always a bright welcome at the door. I used mostly the transparent watercolors on this to help capture the unusual and delicate color of the petals which are a combination of purples and pinks.