Oil on Linen Panel
16” x 12”
Handmade Black Walnut Float Frame (sourced from a central WI Amish lumber mill)
2026
Created during the 2026 Paint Cedarburg Plein Air Event. The painting began in our front yard where white peonies bloomed for the first time after Megan and her dad dug up the plant. The plant was dug up from a Grafton resident's home (who they met while flower shopping at Home Depot). The woman lives in the childhood house of Charles J Guiteau, the main subject of Netflix's "Death by Lighting" short series. Guiteau became notorious for his assassination of President James Garfield. The peonies were likely not part of his childhood landscape of course, but its interesting how the plant and now the painting connect to obscure people and moments of history.
I spent two late afternoon sessions studying the geometric shapes of the peony flower as it swung back and forth in the breeze and slowly began to close its petals as the sun set. They're gorgeous flowers that I plan to paint again at some point (hopefully in the studio to eliminate some of the challenges).
Once the flower was done in the painting I began looking for a wall or texture in the area that would compliment the square of the flower. I spotted a weathered salmon-red wall on the back side of the Cedarburg Coffee Roastery. The longer I looked at the wall the more I enjoyed its details of knots in the wood, embedded painted nail heads, cracks, and the head of a bolt on the right side. The painting, along with others from the week, take inspiration from color contrasts and compositions developed by color theorist Joseph Albers. I'm excited to follow this thread of observational painting and color theory in the future. If you haven't yet, I encourage you to view my Plein Air portfolio on my website!
Framed and ready to hang with corner felt pads.
Ships (after full payment is received) wrapped in plastic with a signed certificate of authenticity in a heavy cardboard box.
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