Marsh Marigolds

Marsh Marigolds

(acrylic on watercolour board, 8x8 in)

The Shipley Art Gallery's second Challenge to Gateshead Art Society members presented us with two paintings, ‘Apple Blossom’ by Roger Ashby and ‘Summer Time’ by Ralph Hedley, showing the start of Spring and the middle of Summer. The challenge was to "create an artwork that shows how we are witnessing the start of Spring from our home, garden or daily walk. What flowers are starting to bloom and what animals are appearing?"

I wasn't going to do the Challenge this week because we have - or had - no flowers. Then the marsh marigolds in our little pond came to the rescue.

I found myself struggling a little with this painting, mainly I think because it's in such a very realist style and I could have achieved that more readily with oil paint. Blending acrylic is not so easy.