NAOKO YAGI
Pear Blossoms
White flowers are challenging and Naoko has handled these beautifully.
Take a closer look...
A very elegant painting.
Ornamental Plum Blossoms
She confessed to having to move fast as the blossoms didn't appreciate the change from cool spring outdoor conditions to warm summer indoor heat... a constant challenge for the botanical artist.
Not bad for a rush-job!
A closer look...
Frittilaria meleagris (detail)
Naoko wrestled with these fritillaria as well, for the same reasons of temperature change and a failure to respond well as cut flowers; they wilt in no time at all!
Still, she managed to capture their beguiling curly, dancing leaves and the intensity of their checkerboard "dresses".
Narcissus
Another long, lean composition, in harmony with the subject.
Beautifully rendered, with attention to the papery envelopes at the base of the blooms, and the shine of the light on the seed capsules and stems.
Bergenia
Naoko wanted to experience painting a very large leaf, and concluded that it is nothing like painting small leaves but much "more challenging!" She spilled some paint on the white paper but cleverly covered it up with her "chop" or name seal, a very beautiful graphic addition to this already striking composition.
Lily
And last, but not at all least, a long, leafy lily stalk.
Naoko employed a very effective visual device in painting the lower leaves in less detail and intensity than the ones closer to the blossoms, gently drawing the eye up toward the focal point, those intense and dramatic blooms.
As you can see, Naoko is a voracious painter. She's learning quickly to do justice to the beautiful specimens she has nurtured in her magnificent garden.
If you speak Japanese, and even if you don't, you can check out her blog; her paintings speak for themselves. www.botanicalbaaba.blogspot.com
