Two gifts in one

Flowers for you
acrylic on canvas
12 x 16 inches
Barbara Muir © 2010

In the middle of a strange day, trying to find out in which
direction to travel this weekend, there was a knock at
the front door. Lo and behold someone was giving my
neighbour flowers -- a gorgeous arrangement from
Demarco Perpich.

Years ago when I used to be editor of a glossy corporate
magazine, the art director for the magazine sent me
this type of lovely arrangement for Christmas every
year and it made me feel like a million bucks.

So today I brought the lovely arrangement into the
kitchen so it wouldn't get chilled in our somewhat
cooler hallway, and then sitting far enough away
that I wouldn't get paint on the lovely cellophane
wrapping, I painted this romantic arrangement
very happily, and with great exuberance.

The result is the painting you see before you. I
skipped the cellophane and made up the vase
because it was sitting in a small cardboard box and
I couldn't see it.

When I'd just finished and put the flowers back in
the hallway anticipating that my neighbour might be
home from work any second to pick up his gift,
there was a knock on the door again. And were the flowers
a Valentine's gift, or in celebration of his anniversary?
No. They were sent as a thank you for a very successful
business deal. I said "good for you!" very enthusiastically
indeed, and then said "do more of that! The flowers
are great."

And the painting? That can be our little secret.

Have a loving-everything-you-see day.