Dutch Tulip Fields (using The Secret Life of Bees)
I have been to the Netherlands in the springtime and the tulip fields are simply breathtaking! Vibrant color for as far as you can see! It is truly fascinating to witness this in person.
For this piece, I took leftover pages from The Secret Life of Bees, which I thought was significant given the role that bees play in pollination. I didn’t have enough book paper, so I also used remnants from a hard-cover dictionary. I think of such reference books as being “endangered species” and in my mind that relates to the epidemic of collapsing bee hives.
I hope this semi-abstract piece is pleasing to the eye and just compelling enough to encourage a closer look.
On a side note–I almost gave up on this about halfway through the project. It was painstaking to make all the tubes of paper. Each time I made a batch and laid them out on the painted background, there would not be enough. I’d have to cut and paint more paper, roll more tubes. With it partially done, it didn’t look the way I was hoping. Something told me to have faith in the idea and let it work itself out.
Thankfully I did! This piece won an Award of Merit in the Bloomin’ Art exhibition, and sold the night of the opening reception.
