Artists Says Flower Still Life Took on a Life of Its Own While Creating it

Last week, Patch  by Rhoda Gordon and asked readers what they thought of it in a series called First Impressions.

The following is what readers had to say:

said, "Very pretty. Nice crisp outlines with a hint of Art Nouveau in the curves of the tulips petals. Also feels real, but Surreal at the same time. Pretty, but with hidden depths."

The Artist's Turn

Rhoda Gordon, said she painted the piece for a floral theme show from artificial flowers.

She said, "It started out as tulips in glass vase. It really developed there on the canvas with no preconceived image as to how it would finally look. It took on a life of its own. I decided to put in the butterfly as an after thought. I went to the library to look up what kind of butterfly I should use. I decided on the Monarch, because they visit my back yard in summer. I was surprised to learn that the butterfly is considered an insect. I was surprised to learn that."

Editor's Note: First Impressions is curated by East Quogue artist Meryl Spiegel. If you would like to be a part of this series, e-mail lon.cohen@patch.com.