Carnation
Description
“Isolated, light, clean and true.”
This delicate watercolor study strips away the noise of the traditional still life to celebrate the singular, unadorned beauty of a lone carnation. Positioned deliberately in a centered composition, the subject demands the viewer’s full attention, inviting quiet contemplation.
The artist leverages the natural luminosity of the medium, allowing the soft, values of the petals to interact seamlessly with the stark, unblemished white of the paper. This intentional use of negative space creates a powerful sense of unity, making the background feel less like an empty void and more like an essential, breathing element of the piece. Clean, precise, and emotionally honest, “Carnation is a great representation of minimalist botanical art—finding profound truth in the isolation of a single bloom.
Artists Reflection
At the time of writing, this piece is ten years old. I was taken aback by this because it is hard to believe I have been on the artist’s path for that long already. I am still incredibly proud and fond of this artwork. It was one of my first watercolors worth showing, and I believe it was the very first to receive an award.
“Carnation” placed first in the watercolor category at the 2016 Northern Juried Art Show and was selected to be exhibited in Winnipeg later that year. The piece actually sold while on display at the Northern Juried Art Show to some wonderful people from The Pas, Manitoba.
Revisiting this piece ten years after its completion brings back vivid memories of carefully laying down the washes of color on each individual petal. I can still remember, during the later stages, being absolutely terrified of making a mistake; watercolor is so unforgiving, especially when working with such light values. Recalling that experience also brings back memories of my old studio apartment with those horrible green walls, and the formative first years I lived in Flin Flon.