Tulips & Anemones on Light Split Ground
The flowers and foliage depicted in Tulips and Anemones on Light Split Ground occupy the canvas with an explosion of colour. Some of these forms are set in black outlines, whilst others – such as those in the top left-hand corner – bleed into one another in pools of pink, blue, and lilac. Johnson retained these liquid qualities through her skilful application of watercolour. The resultant forms appear lively and full of energy, whilst alluding to the unpredictability of flowers in decay.
"For a long time, flowers have been a major source of inspiration for my work. They are alive, and I try to convey that sense of living. They grow, change, decay and metamorphose. In a drawing, the sense of movement, structure and rhythms is expressed through the marks and lines; in a painting, this is achieved through the balance and contrasts of colour. Whether the flowers are grouped in a riotous bunch or [shown] singly, my aim is to reveal the particular feeling of that image - a potent lily, a burst of spring or the battered remains of winter." – Nerys Johnson
