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Children of the Sun was my live painting today for The Joyful Brush, my online class. Hydrangeas are one of my absolute favorite flowers. I grew up on an organic farm in East Texas where flowers were planted to attract insects off the crops, and provided rows and rows of beautiful color. I remember being embarrassed when friends who lived “in town” would come to visit, since they would see our country life, how we lived in a very basic house, wearing hand-me-downs and rarely doing the things city kids took for granted, such as going to the pool or shopping at the mall.
For my three sisters and I, going to town was an event, and, if we stopped at the Dairy Queen for ice cream cones when Dad finished his errands, this was a huge treat. I am so glad, now, that I had this simple, focused life, when my summers were spent reading every book I could and enjoying the companionship of the animals, and playing with my sisters.
With my Mother’s encouragement, we used our imaginations to build worlds and play of our own making. We had no internet, no video games, and no cable TV. Maybe this is why I love painting from life so much. Because there was nothing artificial that filled the days of my youth.
Do you love vibrant florals? You can paint online with me in The Joyful Brush, my monthly online class. Learn more…
I’m sure being surrounded by nature and it’s beauty influenced you greatly Nancy. I grew up in the city but spent summers at my grandparents farm. I miss those days a lot (the farm has changed over the years and lost some of it charm now). My grandparents didn’t have so many flowers but I have a love for wild poppies and other wildflowers in the fields of wheat and the hollyhocks 🙂
Your story kind of reminds me of Anne of Green Gables and her imagination often inspired by the beautiful nature (like a cherry blossoms in front of her bedroom window).
Btw the blue hydrangeas are so lovely I’m actually going to tackle them before diving to Monet even though I absolutely am in love already with lessons and the challenge.
Iwona isn’t it amazing how many miles of memories we get out of our childhood moments of joy? Thank goodness for those, they carry us through. I can’t wait to see your hydrangeas, I know they’ll be beautiful.