Iris, Untitled Watercolor

Bearded Iris, Untitled watercolor on Fabriano soft press paper. Size: 15 x 15 inches.

One of the things I love about this bearded iris is the very dark purples. The deeper colors appear almost black. The shine and reflection from the bright sunlight in the midday sun, and the imperfections from dried water droplets on its petals are so interesting to me. It's curly and ruffly, and it will always be in full bloom in this painting. But they only last a few days in the garden. Rare beauties.

It can seem a mysterious process, the making of a painting. And even for seasoned creators, it's a surprise when something new makes its appearance. Though I can see the artwork in my mind's eye, it's still a process to bring it into material form, and it is always a surprise to see it in reality.

A certain quality of attention and focus goes into each work of art, and it takes many hours to complete a painting. No matter how many times I paint a purple iris, it's always different, fresh, and new. I always learn something, and that's because I give all of my attention to the process of creation. Watch me paint this artwork in the video below.