Sunflower Study #2

Posted on by The Wandering Art Historian

This is the second of two sunflower studies I painted in order to prepare for my Vincent van Gogh-themed wine box for my 4th Annual Wine Box Art Show submission.

I always knew Vincent loved the color yellow, but after attempting to recreate one of his most iconic sunflower paintings, I realized something.  I noticed that with this particular painting, he stuck with a very specific color palette – shades of yellow.  It made me wonder if he did so because he was running low on paint.

We all know Vincent was chronically strapped for cash (which is putting it mildly) and part of the reason for his lack of cash is that he went through so much paint.  Vincent laid the paint on thick, as I discussed in my previous post, and in doing so he must have gone through many, many tubes of paint.  Even today paint is expensive!

This made me wonder if he consciously made the decision to limit his color palette in an attempt to “ration” his paint supply.  The world may never know, but it is a curious thought.

Vincent: “Still Life: Vase w/ 14 Sunflowers,” Arles, August 1888, currently at the National Gallery in London.

Study: “Sunflower Study #2 (after Van Gogh),” acrylic on linen, 9″ x 12″

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I am writer and artist with a degree in art history who loves to talk to people about art. I have spent the last seven years building up The Wandering Art Historian “brand” as a way to connect with people who want to learn more about art. I give lectures and presentations and teach classes and host book club discussions with a creative or artistic connection. I also write about local artists, events, museums, and exhibitions to promote the arts in Central Florida. In 2021, I had a creative crisis. I struggled with authenticity in the art making process. I decided to make myself vulnerable and find out what a real, genuine Adrienne H. Lee artwork would look like. The process was challenging and emotional and revelatory. I learned that if necessity is the mother of invention, then authenticity is the mother of reinvention. I reinvented myself and learned an entirely new medium. The resulting artwork surprised me, and it will surprise you, too. Some people wish for a fairytale ending. For me, the fairy tale is only the beginning.