In a previous post I shared with you a vase of flowers I’d captured in my sketchbook using colour pencils.

I have since translated that drawing into a painting in acrylics, and on to it I have added the symbol of a blackbird.

In the gallery below you can see images of how the painting progressed from a bright pink ground to the finished piece.

I enjoyed creating the tulips In a cubist/ semi abstract style like I had in my sketchbook, but I equally enjoyed adding the blackbird in a more representational style.

The blackbird symbol to me represents depth, one of my personal core values, and the vase symbolises the container that is my psyche. The flowers are a representation of me filling my container with joy- a practice of receiving joy in the small, mundane moments of life.

Next I am exploring the theme further by another painting of flowers in a vase but this time I am attempting to slow down the process and paint a more representational piece using a technique of doing a tonal underpainting and adding layers of colour on top.

Watch this space for the results! See you next time!