The title is a translation of a phrase that appears in slightly different forms in two of the synoptic gospels, Matthew 6:28 (καταμάθετε τὰ κρίνα τοῦ ἀγροῦ πῶς αὐξάνουσιν) and Luke 12:27 (κατανοήσατε τὰ κρίνα πῶς αὐξάνει). It seems to me that both suggest careful study of how wildflowers grow (not just a glance at the pretty flowers), and that's the direction I have gone in this series of paintings, most of which are smaller (postcard size). In this piece (which is 14 x 20 inches), as in all the paintings in the series, I've allowed the paint to flow with minimal intervention, allowing the flowers to move (as wildflowers do) the way liquid moves on paper. For this painting, I've used natural pigments (turmeric, coffee, and wine vinegar) for the flowers, with a touch of cobalt blue to mix with the yellow turmeric to make green plus a few touches of brighter cadmium yellow.
- Subject Matter: flowers
- Created: August 2020
- Collections: flowers, watercolor