Flowers are always a big inspiration for me. Love the bright, bold colors! I used one of my reference photos from my garden poppies and improvised on a vase shape from a picture I saw in a book. The background was a bit challenging, as I did not have a definite plan. It always works out and I have found that as I work, more ideas come into my mind. Collage is the perfect form of expression for me. It is constant editing and moving shapes around until the composition is worked out — going with the flow.

When I work with collage, it is best to keep the design simple and eliminate details — it keeps the painting fresh and exciting. As always, I work with my own hand-painted acrylic papers and work from a bare-bones sketch of the bouquet. I do not copy a photo or sketch. This allows the creativity to flow, and I’m always surprised when it is finished.