The inspiration for this watercolor painting was fresh-cut coneflowers and black-eyed susans. Their colors are vivid and saturated. Flowers are one of my go-to subject matter for paintings. I never tire of painting them and each arrangement is different. I choose different vases to complement their shapes and enhance the movement of the composition.

I begin by doing a loose drawing to fit the dimensions of the frame. The shapes touch at least three of the borders and fills the space comfortably. The pigments are a limited palette. I used a warm gamboge and indian red for the susans and a magenta for the coneflowers. When I begin painting, I wet each shape and allow the pigments to blend into each other, creating a softness.