The idea for this picture came when, while planing some tulip poplar for a different project, the shavings of poplar peeled off in these amazingly decorative, curly flower shapes.  We collected the best of the lot and grouped them together on a blank canvas, and immediately this still life was born.  The picture was then created by making an under layer of oil pastels in various shades of reds, yellows, purples and grays, painting over those areas with acrylic paints, and then scraping through the fast drying paint with the tip of a wood screw to reveal the pastel shades beneath for texture and contrast.  As the paint dried, the poplar shavings were embedded (acrylic paint is a great glue) to create the bouquet.   Finally, we created a shadow box frame from the same tulip poplar (quartersawn for the great stripes that add another form of texture to the work), routed a groove in the back in which to embed the canvas, and gave the frame a wash of pale yellow acrylic paint to compliment the colors in the picture.  The frame was then finished in a satin polyurethane for added protection.

 

This still life measures 13 1/4” square (the canvas itself is 12 x 12).