This past spring and summer, we have been busy working in our backyard, planting new things, watching blooms grow. Not only do I love flowers in our yard, but also in my paintings.

So you can imagine how fun it was to paint this sweet girl with flowers in her hair!

Her Crown of Roses – 11 x 14 inch acrylic on stretched canvas

I started this painting in April, and just finished her this month. I love this color palette so much, the teal background with those beautiful rosy shades in her hair. She has a sweet vintage quality to her. She’s all varnished and ready for her new home. You will find a listing for her in my ArtcyLucy Etsy shop.

In the painting above, I used a photo reference, just to give me ideas for the pose, and with the flowers in her hair.  But in the painting below, I just went over a canvas with black gesso (painting over an unsuccessful portrait), and started again…just using my imagination. This is my favorite way to work now, just intuitively, with no outcome planned out. That way, I can just play on the canvas.

More Than You Know – 9 x 12 inch acrylic on canvas 

There’s a lot of drama in this one, from the dark background, to the stenciled design, and the swirly “lace” that looks like a collar. I love using these colors together. At the very last, I added coppery metallic to her hair, and a bit on the canvas behind her as well. It gave it some extra shimmer. And I love how she turned out! You will find her listed, along with 45 other portraits of various sizes, in my Etsy shop, ArtcyLucy.