White Cactus Flower Painting – Botanical Southwestern Oil Painting of Cereus cactus by Karen Winters
Come Hither
White Cactus Flowers on a Cereus Peruvianus cactus
Oil painting 16 x 20
This wonderful cactus plant was at least ten feet tall, and covered in flowers so large and radiant that it took my breath away. The blossoms were as wide across as my hand, easily.
Those tireless workers, bees, were swarming all over them, harvesting pollen. However I chose not to paint those busy folk on this occasion. I love bees but not everyone feels the same way and I wouldn’t want their presence to prevent the painting from finding a new home. Maybe if I paint the subject again – I took many photos of this proud beauty.
White flowers are never truly white because they pick up color from everything around them – the blue violet sky light in shadow, the warm light of the sun, and so on. The value range of white varies greatly, too. Painting this was like trying to solve a large jigsaw puzzle. A bit frustrating at times, but a lot of fun.
Delilah
March 3, 2011
What a wonderful painting. I like the way it looks like light is coming through the flowers.
joyce
March 6, 2011
Wow, they’re just lovely! I can see what you mean about the white having so many colors…I’m going to try and remember that.
Frank Zweegers
March 7, 2011
Beautiful work!
wendy
March 8, 2011
This is a beautiful painting – the subject matter and the curved lines. It’s very graceful.
w.
Anna T.
March 24, 2011
What a beautiful painting – you really managed to capture the play of light and shadows! Love the composition too – and of course I always enjoy flowers!