Mary A. Carlson

Arizona, USA, colored pencil, 20 x 12½"

My Inspiration

I was born in Cefalù, Sicily, where my mother’s family grew and arranged flowers for all the towns special occasions. Botanicals are part of my DNA. My frame of reference for most of my memories are the flowers that have surrounded me. Crotons were given to me and my late husband as a wedding gift and are often the subject of my work. They always demand my attention and I do find them truly fascinating. The colors are so vibrant and the patterns are truly unique. No two leaves are ever the same. For me, this piece screams out Puerta Vallarta where I took the picture.

My Design Strategy

I took only one picture for this piece. The diagonal movement was something I always strive for. The strong contrast in value with the bright sunlight and deep shadows was perfect. The colors couldn’t have been more vibrant. There was a building on the right side of the picture, which I decided to remove and replace with a bright blue sky. I also discarded one leaf and exchanged it with a more pleasing one.

My Working Process

My usual process starts with a pencil sketch. In the case of this piece I drew directly on the paper. I laid my foundation with watercolor pencils to help me visualize the piece. Starting from the left upper corner I drew the venation pattern on each leaf. I regarded every leaf as an individual painting with its own palette from that point forward. I used many pencils and applied several layers of color to achieve the desired effect. The process was very tedious and took me several months but I must confess I work very slowly. I particularly like the control and detail colored pencils lend themselves to.

Finalist

Contact Details

Email: marycaz613@gmail.com