Tag Archives: Jill Rizzo

Peonies Unparalleled

When I was in my 20’s, I had the extreme good fortune of being invited by a distant relative to accompany her on a trip to the Far East. It was the mid-80’s and China had barely opened their doors to the West. Inspired by Chinese art history classes in college, I had developed a fascination with Chinese culture. And having the opportunity to fully immerse myself in that environment before westernization took hold, (as much as any American was allowed to immerse themselves at that time), was an incredible opportunity.

Peony

Paeonia “Coral Charm” – from my garden

Images of Beijing and Shanghai today portray metropolises of high-rises and neon hardly different from any of the world’s other great cities, but when I visited, China was truly a different world, caught in a different time. Most buildings then were no taller than 3-4 stories and the streets swarmed with bicycles rather than cars. There was a sense of space and intimacy despite the burgeoning population, qualities that the encroachment of concrete and highways tend to nullify. Everywhere you looked there was something beautiful to see, and it was not unusual to come across a sight (such as fishermen casting their nets) that was exactly as illustrated in a centuries-old painting. The importance and attention attached to aesthetic details enhanced even the most banal of structures, leaving a lasting impression. Flora and fauna were liberally depicted and our guides made a point of sharing their symbolism.

 

Chinese Peony Painting

 

I didn’t have much expendable income, so was careful in keeping my eyes open for something I could bring home to mark the experience. By far my favorite and most significant souvenir is a lovely painting of a peony and butterfly that has hung prominently in every home I’ve lived in since. The peony is the national flower of China, and in full bloom it symbolizes peace, making for a worthy remembrance.

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©2017 Elizabeth Fram

Peonies are such glorious flowers and hold a special significance for me, a factor which I’m sure influenced my choice of Chinese souvenir. My mother had a peony bush with pale pink blooms that were lightly streaked with deeper pink stripes. It was one of the showiest and most exotic flowers in her Maine garden and we eagerly anticipated its annual display. Like a sacred object, she would bring a single blossom inside each year to grace the dinner table, floating it in a square silver dish that I don’t remember being used for any other purpose. I have an ancient childhood memory of sticking my nose into one of the flowers, deeply breathing in its scent with the naive expectation of being rewarded with the cool aroma of peppermint, as its coloring suggested.

Peony 3

©2017 Elizabeth Fram

In my current garden I have three varieties of peonies that bloom in succession and all strike me as just as extravagant and rewarding as my mother’s. It’s as much a treat today as I remember it was then to bring in one special bloom to set on the dinner table to treasure in its fleeting glory.

©2017 Elizabeth Fram

Yet another reward of keeping a sketchbook…the opportunity to tap into the richness of memories while standing firmly in the beauty of the present.

Have I recommended this before?
The Flower Recipe Book by Althea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo is an extraordinarily beautiful book – one that will sweep away anyone with the slightest interest in the forms and colors of flowers. I would even go so far as to recommend the digital version as  the backlighting of an iPad or similar device somehow adds to the impact of the gorgeous images.

See more inspiring and lush floral imagery on Instagram: @pottersarms and @tulipinadesign

Pike Place Peonies

Hard to resist these buckets of peonies at Pike Place Market in Seattle last month

 

Artists = Gardeners = Artists

This past week my garden has burst with color. After months of living within a subdued landscape that quietly displayed spare beauty in the structure of trees, accented with the muted tones of last year’s dropped foliage, it’s pure joy to become re-immersed in full-on color!

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Most artists I know are gardeners, and vice versa — although I wonder, do gardeners think of themselves as artists? They should; we share a love of color, form, texture and pattern, and of course a willingness to accept the challenge of arranging all those elements within a composition. This past post about Vermont artist David Stearns’ beautiful garden is a case in point.

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The overlap between the two disciplines is deeply ingrained for many of us. I have written in countless artist statements how formal Japanese gardens have been a huge inspiration to me, not just in their physical attributes, but in the way they direct one’s attention and how they make one feel while wandering along their paths. I continue to aspire toward that ability to say more with less in my own work.

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But for now, I am just soaking up the pure lushness of this year’s new growth and am grateful to live where the seasons vary so strongly that as each one arrives we are ready and glad for the change.

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Two treasured books on my shelf, each an inspiration, are ZEN|FLOWERS: contemplation through creativity by Harumi Nishi and The Flower Recipe Book: 100 Magical, Sculptural, Seasonal Arrangements by Alethea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo. They straddle the line between art and flora and offer a new way to think about both, together.

Happily, this past weekend I heard back from Arthur Schaller, the collage artist I wrote about last week, with permission to post images of his work. Here’s a quick taste that will hopefully entice you to see the work in person if you can get to the Vermont Supreme Court gallery before the end of June.

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© Arthur Schaller

Schaller3

© Arthur Schaller

Schaller2

© Arthur Schaller

And finally, I am honored to have been asked to be in Across Roads Center for the Arts’  “Artist Spotlight” this month. The interview is available to be read here.

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