Prairie bouquet
Posted: August 1, 2023 Filed under: Uncategorized 31 CommentsThe bouquet says so much about Saskatchewan to me. The yellow sunflowers are the same electric yellow as the vast prairie fields of canola. The cattails are the ones I saw along the banks of Wascana Lake in Regina. And of course there are a few pale gold stalks of wheat. You can’t have a prairie bouquet without wheat.
This bouquet was lovingly created by a volunteer as a centrepiece for the tables at a dinner at the CSPWC symposium in Regina in July. I didn’t have time to paint it on location but I took a photo of it and painted it the next morning in my hotel room before I flew home. It makes me SO happy to have this souvenir of that beautiful landscape.


















Beautiful!
Thanks Lori!
The contrast in values really makes the bouquet pop, the dark blue background. Sure wish I could paint a glass vase like that.
Laurel, thanks so much.
Hello Shari I have to say that this bouquet appeals to me, and especially the way that you painted it. If you decide to make prints or notecards with this artwork, I would get in line to buy one. Thanks! Jean
Jean, I will keep that in mind. Thank you!!
Simply beautiful
Frieda, many thanks!
Gorgeous. I always like the way you paint the water containers as well as the flowers.this is a lovely bouquet.
Judy, thanks!!
Love the yellow you used! What was it! It is beautiful painting. The background really complimented the arrangement. Well done❤️
Thanks so much Linda. I think the yellow was my regular Hansa Yellow Medium.
I agree with Judy. The flowers are so pretty, but it’s the painting of the water they are in that fascinates me. So well done, Shari.
Lois, thank you!!
Just lovely 👍👏
Linda, much appreciated.
Hi Shari! Like a few others mentioned, I’m fascinated by your treatment of the stalks in the water and the water itself. I’ll be studying this for a while! Better yet, would you ever consider including this technique in an online class?
Thank you!
Maria, I would definitely consider this. I do cover some of that in one of my existing flower courses. But I could do a more in-depth painting of that.
Beauty 🙂
Thanks Chris.
Wow! So lively and I like the dark washes in the background–makes it all pop!
Thanks for having a look Karen.
What a lovely bouquet. Your description of Saskatchewan’s colours reminds me of the Saskatchewan tartan, which was designed by my grandmother Lillian Bastedo. Here is a brief description:
Saskatchewan’s tartan was created in 1961 by Mrs. Frank Bastedo, wife of Frank Lindsay Bastedo, former Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan. The predominantly yellow palette is meant to represent Saskatchewan’s identity as the ‘breadbasket’ of Canada, with gold for wheat and yellow for rapeseed and sunflower. The other colours are green for forests, red for the prairie lily, white for snow, brown for summerfallow, and black for oil and coal.
Mary, I just looked it up. So, so beautiful. What a wonderful and rich history you have in your family. Do you have some samples of it? I hope so!!
Great colors, so juicy and clean!
Thanks Bernadette!
I’m same as everyone else – it’s gorgeous, clean and yummy ; what tube is the yellow and I’m signed up for a course in water vases plus any cards, etc
Soni, thanks!! The yellow is very saturated hansa yellow, and I will keep you in mind for cards!!
Splendid!
Betsy, thanks!!
I love bouquets that are slightly different like this one with something besides just flowers. This is a lovely memory of your trip!