When I first left art college and started up as a freelance designer, that is what I used to do...paint flowers all day long! I loved it. I sold the designs to all kinds of companies for mugs and other china, for textiles, wallpapers, table mats, table cloths....all sorts of products. But the main thing was I got to paint lovely flowers all day long, listening to music or Radio 4...bliss. Sometimes I varied it by adding butterflies and bees and ladybirds, occasionally mushrooms and red spotted toadstools crept in too...
This design is one of my old florals, done for a gift wrap company. I gradually began to design for greetings cards instead of large floral designs in repeat because I liked the variety and the smaller scale ...and one day I began to translate the florals into embroidery which a magazine bought for cross stitch...and slowly I became inspired by colour and design in other areas of embroidery, crafts and stitchy things....
I still paint designs - here is my little painting corner on my drawing board which tends to get piled up with crafts materials of all kinds - I do illustrations for books and the occasional commission, and now and then a flower for old times sake...
And I still LOVE flowers sooo much, I always need some fresh ones to look at, and I love to buy flower pictures from other artists too. This basket of primroses, ivy and tete a tete daffodils is looking bright and beautiful in the kitchen this week, cheering up the grey rainy afternoon we have here today.....
Now I'm going to cut out some gorgeous bright fabrics for a new quilt! Have a lovely week everyone, enjoy some flowers and I hope the sun is beaming down where you are! Back soon. xxxx
31 comments:
Is there no end to your talent?! :)
Thank you for cheering up my day with your lovely post! :)
Actually I was going to start my comment with exactly the same words as Mandy, "is there no end to your talent"!
Your flower painting is so beautiful Helen.
When you listed all the things you used to put in your paintings, ladybirds, butterflies, toadstools etc. it reminded me of my new knitting book. :)
Thanks again Helen for a pretty post!
Vivienne x
"You're SO talented" said the green eyed monster! :oooo It was great to hear a little of your history :) Have a great flowery weeks. Claire x
Me too - there is definitely no end to your talent. I love that wrapping paper design. Love your basket of flowers too - there is nothing like flowers to cheer one up is there? Imagine a world with out flowers - no on second thoughts don't it would be too awful!
Jane
Painting flowers well is very hard.
You are indeed blessed.
Love the E bridgewater palette!
Now I'm going to read your blog!
Hi Helen,
How lovely! You are indeed so talented and I love seeing your pretty projects. What a cheerful profession you have!
Wow Helen, you are talented in so many areas! The flowers are so beautiful. I love visiting your blog to give me a ray of sunshine on a dull, dreary day! Thank you!!!!!
Vanessa xxx
You have a real eye for detail and colour. Not many can capture the freshness of spring flowers so well and watercolour is one of my favourite painting mediums. You must have so much patience to design a whole sheet of wrapping paper. X
Your work is precious, Helen! And I also loved to hear how your art-life started, and oh, how I sometimes enjoy knitting and felting birds, flowers, and other pretty things all day :) Thank you so much for sharing!
Happy week!
Yours,
Mia
Beautiful flowers Helen, it is so interesting to hear your "history" and how this evolved into your current work. You have been on a great creative journey,it is so lovely to see and it brightens this rather grey dull day.
Have a bright week,
Jane x
You are so talented Helen. Your love of flowers is truly reflected in your painting. x
Beautiful! I would love to be able to capture with paint and brush the beauty of the pretty, simple flowers that are beginning to show themselves now! Sadly, I can't...maybe one day!
So, I'm not alone in one using the kitchen plates as palettes, however, you make a much better job of it, I love your plants, real and painted :)
Sue xx
wow, your paintings are just stunning! Would you like to do a bloggy interview one day on my blog, I do love your creations and I am sure a lot of my readers would too. ooh saw your book in WHSmith the other day but am waiting for Amazon to get it again, I can't wait it looks fab!
Trully beautiful water colour work. I alas do not like working with watercolours but much prefer to work with acrylic paints but it is so nice to see lovely water colour work. It really is a talent to paint so nicely in this medium as I find it very fiddly.
Leah x :)
You are sooooooooo talented! I love all you do and would love to have a slice. I hope you have a lovely week. xoRobin❤
I will echo everybody else's comments on here - you are so very talented!! It's nice to have lots of different crafts and mediums that you can enjoy isn't it, stops the boredom and repetitiveness creeeping in and keeps it all fresh! Hope you are having a lovely week xxx
Wow I never new you painted - not like that anyway!!! Stunning designs. x
Hi Helen, really interesting to read of how your work began, painting flowers all day, how lovely. just beautiful, you have such amazing skill and flair and i love your colour sensibility.
wishing you the happiest of colourful floral weeks
ginny x
Beautiful work - you really are talented! Lovely pictures!
Dear Helen, thank you for telling us more about your art life! How exiting! You are really unique talent! All those flowers...so beautiful and colourful...for me looks very difficult!
And a new bright colour quilt ... how wonderful!
Thank you for a lovely post! Enjoy your week with spring flowers! xxx Teje
I lve that wallpaper! Helen, you are so talented with such a great eye for colour x
Exquisite!!
They're just lovely Helen and how wonderful to hear how you progressed to where you are now.
Is that pretty mug one of your designs too?
My daughter and I are going to get the paints out this afternoon. Perfect way to forget the grey mist and murk outside.
Hx
My goodness, I love popping over to your blog as I always discover something marvellously inspiring -
aren't you are an awesome painter!?!! Those flowers are amazing, such detail and the colour so luminous - no wonder your work is snapped up by card companies and the like!
Thank you for sharing, I love your work!
Julia x
Ditto what others have said...you do have a wonderful talent.Looking forward to seeing the new quilt take shape!
No sunshine here today sadly. :0)
What a lovely job that would of been!!! You are soooo talented. So glad I found you. Pure inspiration over here today. xoxo
Hi Helen, wow I love the pretty basket of flowers and plants, like a summer garden in your house! I added your blog as one of my favorites on my blog.. it's so full of sweet light colors!
Hugs from Teresa in Corbett, Oregon USA
I loved learning more about your life and your work! Did you begin in the seventies...just thinking that when I was a teenager those things were really trendy..mushrooms, ladybirds and the like..and have only just come back into vogue? You don't have to answer if you don't want to!
Helen, your flower painting is exquisite! You are a true artist, turning your hand expertly to whatever media you wish to. Congratulations!
I love visiting your blog for the beauty you always share with your work and flower photos!Such a feel good feeling here!
Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog - I agree, leave it and go back and you often find the answer was there all the time - either something stands out, or you realise that you havent yet found the right choice.
Have a lovely day!
Gill
How fascinating, that really is interesting Helen. Your wrapping paper is gorgeous! And your spring bunnies too, just beautiful! All this glorious colour is a real salve on our grey day today, thank you. Love Vanessa xxx
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