“When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it’s your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not.” – Georgia O’Keeffe
Although this project is appropriate for anyone who loves flowers and/or is allergic to pollen, it was originally designed with Mother’s Day weekend in mind, to celebrate all the wonderful, strong, and hardworking moms out there. After all, what better way to show your appreciation and love for these special ladies than the gift of flowers? Beautifully arranged, sweet smelling, colorful flowers are certainly lovely… until they aren’t. Instead, consider the gift of handmade floral art! There’s nothing better than a homemade gift from the heart, so instead of the classic store-bought card and flower bouquet, break out some art supplies and get creative in making an original. I promise she will love it! Here are 3 ways to go about it:
Georgia O’Keeffe Inspired
Georgia O’Keeffe was famous for many things, but most of us think of her flowers and the way she depicted them. What a perfect time of year, with all the flowers in bloom to get outside and really study the flowers like O’Keeffe did. If you have a magnifying glass, look at the flower up close. Pretend you’re a tiny ant walking around inside that great big flower and paint it from that perspective. Rather than painting a whole bunch of flowers, try to paint an enlarged version of a single flower so big that only a part of the flower is shown in the composition, allowing the edges to trail right off the edge of the paper or canvas. Oil or chalk pastels work great for this too! Turn your art into a lovely card inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe.
Tissue Paper Bouquet
Creating art with tissue paper is such a fun way to color and texture to your design. Start with a simple flower shape lightly drawn on a piece of cardstock, or other heavier weight paper. Don’t worry about anything other than the outer shape (contour line) of the flower. With a paintbrush, spread a thin layer of glue within the flower shape. Using colored tissue paper, rip pieces about an inch in size and place them into your design. Think about colors that work together in nature, how they blend, the details of a flower, etc… Try to position your tissue paper to resemble the flower you’re creating. For example, a sunflower could be made with yellow and orange on the petals, and a black and brown center. After the space is completely filled in, dab another layer of clear glue or Mod Podge to the top to flatten out the tissue paper and harden it. Create a whole bouquet of flowers and glue them down to a canvas for a lovely piece of original art.
Paper Plate Flowers
For a three-dimensional card, take 3 paper plates and on each draw a simple flower shape, each one slightly bigger than the other (in art we call this concentric shapes). Cut out the 3 flowers and paint them however you wish. One option is to have 3 different shades of the same color and paint each cutout a different shade (similar to how many flowers in nature have a darker center and become lighter as the petals reach outward). Once dry, glue the centers of each flower together, creating a 3-layered design. Add pom poms, glitter, a button, or any other craft material to the center to add a bit of detail.
