O'Shields Fine Art Daily Paintings: Monet's Garden Giverny Oil Painting Phyllis O'Shields Contemporary Impressionism Artist

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Monet's Garden Giverny Oil Painting Phyllis O'Shields Contemporary Impressionism Artist

Monet’s Garden at Giverny - Reflections

©PhyllisO’Shields 2010
24 x 36 inches

Original Oil on Canvas

Click HERE for more information

EUROPEAN LANDSCAPE SERIES
My Inspiration: There are two parts in Monet's garden: a flower garden called Clos Normand in front of the house and a Japanese inspired water garden on the other side of the road. The two parts of Monet's garden contrast and complement one another. One of my most inspired painting trips was to this garden and the town of Giverny. Painting in Monet’s beloved village of Giverny, France was beyond description.
My first impression to all of this was sensory overload. But after a while of just looking and soaking it in I was able to organize my feelings enough to begin painting. My first paintings en plein air were small oil paintings. Later in my studio this is one of the larger oil paintings that I completed.

The reflections in the water garden are more interesting than the subject viewed upright. Truly a time where negative and positive space are equal – creating true Notan, a Japanese Design concept creating the strongest painting. I believe that this is the reason artists are so drawn to paint this water garden over and over again.