Take a moment and enter this scene. Imagine the sounds of the insects flitting above the water, with occasional deep dives in to the cool depths. Each of these lilies has a personality of its own, so that's how I paint them. They gently move around the water and each other.

And there! That striking rose magenta waterlily, setting off its petals from the varied greens and flippant lily pads. My imagination immediately dubbed the lily "The Queen" which of course it is. The deep magenta flowers set the stage for the rest of the painting, hinting here and there other values and hues of that vibrant red - purples, lilacs, pinks, oranges. There were painting liberties to take, and I took them.