White Peonies in Old Blue Willow Pitcher

White Peonies in Old Blue Willow Pitcher

9x12 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

When I lived in Arkansas there were white peony bushes in my yard.  I had never had them before so I was pleasantly surprised at the beautiful fragrance they had.  In fact I would describe the scent as very romantic and intoxicating.  The pleasure I have had for those lovely flowers have overflowed into the act of painting for me.  I loved arranging them in every pitcher or vase I owned and I took reference pictures like "crazy".  I painted this particular little still life is from one of those reference pictures.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did while painting it.  It would make a wonderful Valentines gift for someone special.  If you are interested further click here:)

Lilac Painting

Lilac Painting

11x14 Oil on Canvas

Cheri Wollenberg

When I paint lilacs I am always reminded of my grandmother, her last country home and her flowers and garden.  I am reminded of learning how to snap beans, shell black-eyed peas, and cousins.  Yes...cousins.  My mother and father both were from families of nine children, so I had lots of cousins.  Just the scent of lilacs remind me of my grandmother's driveway.  Her lilac bushes were huge (at least to a kid) and they grew up on the bank from the ditch along her driveway.  I was born in the oldest set of grandchildren and I remember literally digging a horseshoe tunnel along with my cousins into the bank next to the lilac bushes, covering it with old lumber and dirt. After we sufficiently covered the claustrophobic tunnel came the "DARE".  We each had to take turns and crawl through the horseshoe tunnel on our bellies........it was sort of like an acceptance code of being in the "in crowd"!  The "in crowd" of older cousins!  The crazy thing is that it took us forever to dig the tunnel for the short "thrill" it gave each of us.  It seemed to take a lot longer and not near as much fun filling the dirt back into the hole.  Lilacs, an old fashioned flower, have so much more meaning for me than the beautiful scent, the fabulous lilac color and my passion for painting them with canvas and paint.  This painting is listed in my Etsy store.  Click here.