This last week, I placed several washes of acrylic paint over areas within the painting that I wanted to bring to the surface and connect to the overall composition following the sanding off of the surface.

This was the initial composition and painting.

Here’s the completed painting with a smooth satin varnish applied over the surface.  It is smooth and polished.

Following the work on this panel 36 in x 48 in in acrylic, I began a new work on canvas that is 40 in x 40 in.

Here’s the initial geometric sketch and work space preparation for the painting.

Here’s a progression of the painting thus far and its evolution.  I am working with primaries – blue, yellow and red.

The introduction of yellow and circular rings introduced a third set of elements as an additional layer to the painting.

As I go over my designs, I look for sources of the geometries I use in nature.  The sources included some flowers that held elements I was drawn to and I addressed these in the painting.

Inspirations included the poppy’s center with yellow and white rings and the folds of the petals as well.

My interest rested also on the 3 distinctly different circular layers of petals.  The long narrower arrow head row at the outer layer was so different from the others.

And this purple blue wild flower had petals with an almost star shaped quality to them.

I tend to observe and study flowers. I find inspirational from these patterns as I work on my designs for my artwork.

I see in the geometric patterns I use reflections of the growth force of nature and living forms.

This time around I really wanted to include a checkerboard pattern.  I’ve introduced it as an element in the painting. (No natural source in mind – just a good geometric element.)

Out of curiosity over the weekend, I decided to google and see if there were any flowers with checkerboard patterns on them – maybe an orchid here or there might have it. 

This little lily was such a find – in pinks and burgundy no less.

Fritillaria Meleagris – Checkered Lily

I’m a bit in awe over this discovery.  It’s a wild lily in Eurasia.  

Fritillaria meleagris is native to Europe and western Asia but in many places it is an endangered species that is rarely found in the wild but is commonly grown in gardens. In Croatia, the flower is known as kockavica and is associated by some with the country’s national symbol.^[9] It is the official flower of the Swedish province of Uppland, where it grows in large quantities every spring at the meadows in Kungsängen (Kings meadow), just outside Uppsala, which gives the flower its Swedish name, kungsängslilja (Lily of Kings meadow). It is also found for example in Sandemar Nature Reserve, a nature reserve west of Dalarö in Stockholm Archipelago. (Source: Wikipedia)

Here are a few more images in the public domain.

I’ll update you on the progress of this new painting in future postings.