Final Project Artist Statement            

Flowers are my favorite things to draw because they always turn out so pretty, no matter how bad you draw them. This drawing represents a sunny, warm, and beautiful summer day. It’s saying it’s a very nice day out with no clouds in sight. The suns shining bright with a garden full of flowers in beautiful vibrant colors.  Butterflies are flying over the flowers and drinking the tasty nectar. Flowers are universal symbols of beauty. They also symbolize youth, pleasure, wealth, comfort, love, and affection. They are always thoughtful gifts and make ideal decor for any home. Flowers are practically perfect. To some people, flowers indicate that the doodler has a gentle nature and a love of the natural environment and gardens. A large circular center flower shows confidence and is indicative of someone who likes attention. However, carefully drawn flowers suggest someone has an obsessive-compulsive personality.  
 

One of her floral tattoo designs that stood out inspired me to draw this. I chose this piece because I absolutely love to draw flowers and this one caught my eye. I love how it looks like a bouquet of flowers and how the butterfly adds to it. She has made plenty of floral tattoo designs that I wanted to create, but sadly I could only pick one for this assignment. The assignment for this project was to pick an artist and a piece of their artwork to inspire one of our own, original works of art.  

Intensely private, and possessing an obsessive work ethic and passion for the natural world, Raymond Booth earned a reputation as one of the greatest botanical painters and illustrators, despite rarely leaving his Yorkshire home. Eschewing the more fashionable modernist principles of the early mid-twentieth century, he instead produced beautiful, intense compositions in oil of British flora and fauna, that rival the very finest Victorian followers of the genre. Raymond Booth was born in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, on 8 August 1929, to John Booth, a member of the local police force, and his wife Margaret Edna. When Raymond was still a young child, the family moved from their first home in the crowded streets of central Leeds, to Fearnville Place, in the leafy suburb of Roundhay. His father was a keen rambler and impressed upon Booth from an early age a respect and understanding for the British countryside. Just a short walk from his childhood home was Roundhay Park, the second largest urban park in Europe, comprised of over 700 acres of parkland, lakes and woodland.