Contemporary Still Life painting ‘Daisy Symphony’ by Teodora Totorean
About the artwork
This weeks artwork of the week is ‘Daisy Symphony’ by UK based artist Teodora Totorean. It is a large contemporary, floral still life painting with white daisies in a white vase. Here the artist speaks about the her artwork and we ask question about the process and creating of this beautiful piece.
I created this still life floral painting using a limited colour palette to create a modern and elegant artwork. The white flowers could be either daisies or cosmos – they are very textured and I added accents of orange and yellow. They sit in a simple vase, the background a beautiful deep teal colour that I found very difficult to photograph. The whole artwork has texture and the edges are painted in the same teal colour as the background. This still-life artwork is created in acrylic on canvas and it measures 31.5″ x 23.5″ x 1.5″. It comes varnished for protection and ready to hang. There is no need to be framed unless preferred. This is a large painting and it could be the perfect focal point in a living room or dining room.
About the artist
Teodora is an emerging artist based in Devon, United Kingdom. She creates acrylic and mixed media paintings inspired by music, nature and poetry. She strives to learn and develop her style all the time, exploring various techniques. In her small studio she will use all the tools available in her small studio, which include brushes (both ends), palette knives, fabric, fingers, sticks, etc.
She is inspired by nature, archetypal images and happy childhood memories, of her childhood. Other forms of art like music and poetry also inspire her. She likes colours and texture and is always trying to find new ways of applying texture onto the canvas and incorporate other materials (fabric, vintage paper) into her work.
Teodora uses mainly in acrylic paints, on canvas and her style is lyrical, semi abstract and decorative. Her art has been published as greetings cards and CD covers. She has also exhibited with gloss-Art Gallery in Exeter, West Country Galleries in Weston-Super-Mare and The Moreton Gallery in Gloucestershire.
SEE MORE ARTWORKS BY TEODORA TOTOREAN
QUESTION TO THE ARTIST
How do you create the texture for the petals in this artwork and what effect are you wanting to achieve?
For the petals, I used thick paint straight from the tube and painted them using both a brush and a palette knife. I wanted to create a textured effect so the flowers jump out of the painting. For the background, I used gesso first to create texture and then I added layer upon layer until I reached the deep teal colour.
This is one of your largest paintings. Did you come across any difficulties or differences painting at a large size?
The only difficulty was the space to create the painting. I have a dedicated room for my art in the attic, but I struggle to paint on big canvases, as I struggle to find the right position – be that either on the floor or the easel. But when it comes to the details of the painting, I find it easier to add them on a larger canvas rather than a medium or small one, as it is not as fiddly. Also you feel that you can get away with mistakes, although I can argue that there is no such thing as mistakes in art. In any case, the overall image still has to feel right when you look at it from a distance.
Do you paint from a real life still life, an image, or your imagination?
I use photos from my garden and allotment as reference and mix them with my imagination. I always take photos when flowers are in bloom, hoping to use them as reference for my art. Inside my home there are always vases with flowers – both dried and fresh, therefore I am surrounded by flowers all the time.
How long does it take you to paint an artwork of this size?
It’s difficult for me to monitor the exact timings, as I work on several projects at the same time. So while waiting for the paint to dry on a few canvases, I do something else and so on. I would say about a week or two, but sometimes it might take months.
Which artists do you draw inspiration from, if any?
I used to look at art quite a lot – in galleries, museums, exhibitions, online. I admire both classic and modern artists and like traditional and contemporary art equally. My taste is quite eclectic. Often I like to research artists from other countries and their styles and techniques. But ultimately, I always get back to nature, which is the best source to get inspiration from. It amazes me how perfect it is and how it knows how to combine colours to create the best picture.
SEE MORE ARTWORKS BY TEODORA TOTOREAN
