#7 – Inspiration japonaise
February – May 2015
Acrylic on canvas (1m x 1m)

This painting has had one of the slowest births that I can remember. And although its theme was so clear early on, I’ve added to it, taken away from it, modified it, touched it up and adjusted it over a number of weeks, coming back to it again and again, almost obsessively.

The inspiration has come from Japanese gardens and particularly cherry trees and the amazing richness of their blossoms. Behind the simplicity of the final picture, there are so many bamboos, irises, poppies and other plants and branches and black silhouettes of birds hiding in the background.

At times, I felt frustrated at not being able to render the lightness of the cherry blossoms and the multiple hues of red, pinks and delicate whites which I observed in the trees in the park nearby. I finally surrendered to the imperfection and just let be what wanted to be.

And the painting finally came together, a much larger tree imposing itself on the canvas than I initially intended and strong bursts of greens to define the bushes below and around it.

I am fond of its colorful intensity and I am finally at peace with it. And I long for returning to Japan during Hanami, the cherry blossom festival, one day…