oil on canvas
24" x 36"
April 2006

Milwaukee has a new indoor farmer's market called “The Milwaukee Public Market.” This is such a great place to spend a cold winter Saturday morning. We often go there for a “fix” when it seems the outdoor farmer's markets of the summer will never be here.

The blue orchid in this painting came from the Public Market this past February. I had put it on the ledge between our kitchen and dining room, along with some other blue bottles, and that single flower ended up brightening up the entire house.

I would have been quite content to enjoy my new orchid display for a week or so, but this crazy neon-bright orchid lived for almost an entire month! I could not even belive my good fortune, and eventually even started wondering how much longer it could possibly hold its beauty. I finally got my camera out one day to photograph the flower because it was such an unusual color.

And then since it had brought me so much enjoyment during the most dreary time of the year, I couldn’t resist painting it. So what you see in the painting is the view from my dining room, looking at the orchid into the kitchen.